Lira sees distortions in sanitation concessions and defends that the law be improved – 03/15/2023 – Market

The mayor, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), recognized this Wednesday (15) that there are distortions in the execution of sanitation concessions in the country and said that the law that deals with the matter needs to be improved.

Lira participated in the launch of the legislative agenda for private sanitation operators 2023, held in the Salão Nobre of the Chamber of Deputies.

“The sanitation framework makes it possible for the private sector to participate in these negotiations. This law needs to be improved,” he said. “Some distortions still occur in the practical execution of concessions. Parliament’s will is always to make a law that serves everyone, that meets the macro, as much as possible, but Brazil is very peculiar in finding solutions that vary from 8 to 8,000 .”

Lira stated that it is necessary to analyze any gaps in the sanitation framework to prevent contracts from ending up being resolved in court.

Executive secretary of the Ministry of Cities, former deputy Hildo Rocha (MDB) denied any intention of changing the sanitation framework for the worse. “It may change for the better. We are not going to say ‘no, the law will not be changed because it is new’. It is new, I participated, I was one of the most active participants in this new sanitation framework. But there are anything we can improve? There is. There is always something to be improved.”

He defended that private investments in water supply, sanitary sewage and solid waste will allow the government to invest more resources in drainage, a sanitation aspect that is difficult for the private sector to invest.

“We need to use more public resources for drainage. But, for us to have more resources for drainage, we need to spend less on water supply and sanitary sewage.

The executive director of Abcon (National Association and Union of Private Concessionaires of Public Water and Sewage Services), Percy Soares Neto, recalled that the sector needs investment. “It is a sector that, when investing, generates jobs, generates income, generates a better quality of life for the population.”

Federal deputy Fernando Marangoni (União Brasil-SP), coordinator of the Joint Parliamentary Front for Sanitation, said that, by 2026, more than R$ 300 billion need to be invested in the sector.

“We are only going to be able to reach these milestones with the active participation of the private initiative through various forms, public-private partnerships, concessions. We cannot accept setbacks in the sanitation framework, but advances.”