Abastecimento de água na cidade de Santa Cruz do Capibaribe-PE: informalidade e desigualdades de acesso

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to determine what actions the population of Santa Cruz do Capibaribe-PE adopted to guarantee access to water. In addition, we also sought to investigate what the Pernambuco Sanitation Company (Compesa) did to guarantee access to water in the study site; to check whether there was any limitation on the part of the population in accessing water due to the price of the water tariff, as well as the price of sales in the informal water market; and to investigate the existence of conflicts related to the supply and consumption of water, all based on the assumption that the population of Santa Cruz do Capibaribe has difficult access to water, as well as the search for access to water through informal means due to a management that accentuates the already existing inequalities. To achieve these objectives, a bibliographical survey, analysis of statistical data, field visits, interviews, analysis of results and, finally, recommendations for the issue of supply and access to water in Santa Cruz do Capibaribe were carried out. This is because access to water has raised several issues in recent times, and with the lack of access through the State, space is opened for private, informal and unregulated initiatives, bringing with it poor water quality, a value much higher than that presented by water and sanitation companies for the minimum water rate, and many other important issues related to the informal water market. Although Santa Cruz do Capibaribe is the focus of so much investment in the clothing market, there is still a lack of infrastructure, maintenance and access to water in that location. As a result of this research, a management model was found that does not serve the entire population of the city through the network, and also uses agreements with tanker trucks to supply water to the homes of some users. Water supply occurs at least every 30 days via the network, while via tanker truck it can take months. With the absence of the State, the informal water market, managed mostly by families for decades, is deeply rooted, so that the population has developed a culture of building cisterns for large volumes in order to feel water-secure.