{"id":83137,"date":"2026-04-08T20:05:54","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T23:05:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=83137"},"modified":"2026-04-11T21:06:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T00:06:34","slug":"while-water-is-scarce-profits-abound-on-world-water-day-outraged-movements-demand-the-right-to-water-and-sanitation-in-front-of-private-utility-aguas-do-rio-and-call-for-the-compa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=83137","title":{"rendered":"\u2018While Water Is Scarce, Profits Abound!\u2019 On World Water Day, Outraged Movements Demand Right to Water in Front of \u00c1guas do Rio, Rio de Janeiro’s Private Utility, and Call for Restatization"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Protesters<\/a>
Protesters hold banners during a World Water Day demonstration in front of \u00c1guas do Rio, in downtown Rio de Janeiro. Photo: B\u00e1rbara Dias<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Clique aqui para Portugu\u00eas<\/i><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

On March 23, a day after World Water Day<\/a>, an action organized by the Popular Network for Sanitation and Health Monitoring<\/a> brought together civil society representatives and grassroots popular movements* to protest in front of private water utility \u00c1guas do Rio<\/a>, in downtown<\/a> Rio de Janeiro, demanding access to water<\/a> and sanitation<\/a> as a fundamental human right<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A Protest to Call Out Abuses<\/h3>\n

In front of an unmarked \u00c1guas do Rio headquarters (there was no company logo), with at least two Military Police vehicles and a few company employees present, protesters laid banners on the ground with messages such as: \u201cEnd \u00c1guas do Rio\u2019s contract,\u201d \u201cWhile water is scarce, profits abound!\u201d and \u201cRestatize water and sewerage<\/a>.\u201d The protest carried an indignant tone denouncing low quality, expensive services provided by \u00c1guas do Rio since privatization. The company today operates in most of the city of Rio and a few other municipalities in the state. But protesters also called out Igu\u00e1<\/a>, responsible for water and sewerage in the city\u2019s Southwest Zone<\/a> and municipalities in the state\u2019s interior, as well as Rio+Saneamento<\/a>, which serves 24 neighborhoods in the West Zone<\/a> and some municipalities in Greater Rio region, such as Itagua\u00ed<\/a> and Serop\u00e9dica<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Banners<\/a>
Banners on the ground with messages such as \u201cEnd \u00c1guas do Rio\u2019s contract,\u201d \u201cWhile water is scarce, profits abound!\u201d and \u201cRestatize water and sewerage.\u201d Photo: B\u00e1rbara Dias<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The mobilization focused on the deterioration of access to water following the privatization of water and sewage services, which had previously been handled by public utility CEDAE<\/a>. The privatization was carried out by former governor Cl\u00e1udio Castro<\/a> in 2021. Protesters criticized<\/a> the granting of these contracts to \u00c1guas do Rio. According to reports from residents<\/a> of favelas across Greater Rio<\/a>, a fear they had was confirmed<\/a>: access to these services worsened after privatization.<\/p>\n

During his remarks, political science professor Jo\u00e3o Roberto Lopes Pinto, from the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UniRio), emphasized the importance of the mobilization and pointed to irregularities that \u00c1guas do Rio has been committing during its operations in the state. These allegations are the subject of an investigation opened by the State Public Prosecutor\u2019s Office<\/a>, which has been examining the involvement of the state government, \u00c1guas do Rio and CEDAE, which remains responsible for producing drinking water for Greater Rio de Janeiro. In fact, its Guandu Water Treatment Plant (WTP), located in Nova Igua\u00e7u, is the largest continuous production water treatment plant<\/a> in the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’re here with a small group, but the movement we represent, the organizations, have added tremendously to the discussion and struggle for the human right to water and sanitation. And what we want to say today to \u00c1guas do Rio and to the Cl\u00e1udio Castro administration, which is stepping down<\/a> at this very moment, is that we are closely monitoring the signs of irregularities in \u00c1guas do Rio\u2019s concession contract. \u00c1guas do Rio claimed there was an error in the contract and that the sewerage coverage indicator was incorrect [generating higher costs for the company]. They took an emblematic case, Mag\u00e9, because it was stated that there was 40% sanitation coverage there when, in fact, it was found that this figure was 0%.<\/p>\n

So \u00c1guas do Rio is now claiming it needs to be compensated, because it wasn\u2019t just Mag\u00e9 but several other cases [as well]. Cases of overestimation of sanitation accounting indicators. The company is requesting an economic-financial rebalancing of the contract of approximately R$1.3 billion (~US$252 million). Now, the question we ask Cl\u00e1udio Castro, regulatory agency AGENERSA and [national development bank] BNDES, which structured the contract, is: how did this mistake get through?<\/p>\n

After three years, the Cl\u00e1udio Castro administration tells \u00c1guas do Rio that \u2018CEDAE will pay.\u2019 Get CEDAE to solve the issue and, while you’re at it, go ahead and adjust your rates\u2014[which did take place] at the end of last year. In other words, the Cl\u00e1udio Castro administration places the burden on the population and on public utility CEDAE, compromising the latter’s finances\u2026 And now it’s discussing the sale of whatever is left of CEDAE. And who wants to buy it? Aegea<\/a>\u2014\u00c1guas do Rio\u2014now wants to take over water production.\u201d \u2014 Jo\u00e3o Roberto Lopes Pinto<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Protesters<\/a>
Protesters were given an open mic to share concerns about water access during the protest in front of \u00c1guas do Rio, in downtown Rio de Janeiro. Photo: B\u00e1rbara Dias<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Suelen Souza, a member of the national coordination of the Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB<\/a>, by its Portuguese acronym), led a call-and-response chant that joined everyone in one voice:<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, March 23, 2026, we\u2014social movements and civil society organizations\u2014are here in front of \u00c1guas do Rio\u2019s headquarters to denounce the abuses committed by the company in collusion with the Cl\u00e1udio Castro government.<\/p>\n

After four years of this service concession, problems have multiplied\u2014and it is the people who feel it most. Abusive rate increases<\/a>, 24% above inflation. A bill that was already heavy has become impossible to pay. Some people have to choose between eating and drinking water.<\/p>\n

And even while paying a fortune<\/a>, the water always runs out<\/a>. Pipelines keep bursting.<\/p>\n

The company has already accumulated over 100,000 lawsuits in the Court of Justice\u201470 a day; that’s 70 families a day taking \u00c1guas do Rio to court. Meanwhile, its four directors each earn R$368,000 (~US$71,000) a month, nearly R$400,000 (~US$77,500). While people struggle to survive, they’re swimming in money.<\/p>\n

There are serious indications of corruption. Aegea, \u00c1guas do Rio’s parent company, paid R$70 million (US$13.5 million) in bribes<\/a> across six states, including here in Rio.<\/p>\n

The concession contract was signed with mistakes\u2014errors that only benefited the company. And now the people will foot the bill: R$1.2 billion (~US$232.3 million) in compensation for \u00c1guas do Rio, taken from CEDAE\u2014that is, from our money, from public funds.<\/p>\n

AGENERSA, which should be defending the population, has become the company\u2019s lawyer. Instead of issuing fines, it turns a blind eye. Instead of protecting the people, it protects those who exploit them.<\/p>\n

And the funds generated by the concession\u2014the money that came in when the service was privatized\u2014were used by Cl\u00e1udio Castro to hire 27,000 campaign operatives.<\/p>\n

And all the while, \u00c1guas do Rio swims in its element. It made R$1.7 billion (~US$329 million) in three years\u2014with 70% going to shareholders: Ita\u00fa, Singapore Fund, Equipav, people who don\u2019t even live here, taking our money while water runs dry in people’s taps<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Now the government wants to sell what\u2019s left of CEDAE precisely to \u00c1guas do Rio? ‘Cause if they do that, the company will own everything. It’ll become a private water monopoly and you better get ready ’cause rates will rise even more while service, as bad as it is, will get worse<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For all this, we won’t just take it. We won’t keep quiet. We demand the immediate termination of \u00c1guas do Rio\u2019s concession contract and demand the restatization of sanitation in Rio de Janeiro.<\/p>\n

Out \u00c1guas do Rio! Out Cl\u00e1udio Castro! Water’s not a commodity. Water is the people\u2019s right. It’s health, it’s dignity, it’s life. People’s lives are not for sale.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In Favelas and Peripheries, \u201cThe Problem Runs Deeper\u201d<\/h3>\n

Rejany Ferreira dos Santos, a geographer and researcher at the Canal do Cunha Watershed Observatory<\/a>, spoke about the difficulties families in favelas and peripheral areas face in paying increasingly expensive water bills. In this context, she pointed to the restatization of water distribution and sanitation as a solution<\/a> to improve access for these families, highlighting gender as an additional factor\u2014women and girls are disproportionately affected by unequal access to water<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWater and sewerage need to be restatized\u2014especially because there\u2019s a population, the people living in favelas and peripheral areas, who won\u2019t have access, particularly to proper sewage treatment. We know that rate increases impact people\u2019s lives, especially the lives of women and single-parent families. When rates go up, it directly affects the family budget. And we know that, when there’s no water, there’s no food. So it\u2019s essential to restatize so that favela and peripheral populations can get proper service. In this context, we also need to talk about the minimum vital allowance of water<\/a>. There\u2019s a portion of the population that can’t afford the rates, but life can’t exist without water.\u201d \u2014 Rejany Ferreira dos Santos, Canal do Cunha Watershed Observatory<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Clara Sacco, executive director of DataLabe<\/a>, points out that, in most cases in favela and peripheral areas, service providers offer low quality, which leads many residents to experience water scarcity or even lack access to water distribution and sanitation services.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’ve been talking since this privatization process began. Exchanging ideas\u2026 with our colleagues from the Sustainable Favela Network\u2026 [it’s obvious that in] favelas and peripheral areas, the problem runs deeper. [These] are areas seldom covered by service providers. As [civil society] organizations, we’re thinking about the actual management of these places. It’s clear that there are no [necessary] major works [taking place] in areas where the infrastructure is outdated\u2026 At DataLab, our fight is for data on water and basic sanitation to be at least minimally representative of reality. We need to keep an eye on the priorities of service providers in these areas, we need to bear in mind what information is being produced, since this is the information that will serve as the basis for [the service providers’] decision-making, and we have to demand transparency as long as they are operating these services.\u201d \u2014 Clara Sacco<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Members<\/a>
Members of the Sustainable Favela Network, from various communities across Greater Rio, were present at the World Water Day demonstration in front of \u00c1guas do Rio\u2019s headquarters, in downtown Rio de Janeiro, calling for favelas to be placed at the center of climate decision-making. Photo: B\u00e1rbara Dias<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Sustainable Favela Network<\/a>** was at the demonstration with its COP Letter From the World\u2019s Informal Settlements<\/a>, which has been gathering signatures from around the world to highlight the importance of centering the most vulnerable in climate decision-making. N\u00e9lio Lopes, coordinator of the Haroldo de Andrade Sustainable Socioeducational Project (PSSHA<\/a>) in Barros Filho<\/a>, spoke about the difficulties of accessing water in favelas.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we talk about water, we remember our ancestors. It\u2019s like the samba that says, \u2018lata d\u2019\u00e1gua na cabe\u00e7a: l\u00e1 vai Maria<\/a>\u2019 [there goes Maria, balancing a tin of water on her head]. So those of us who live in favelas still carry the pain of watching our grandmothers and ancestors carry water, fetch water from wells, drink water however they could\u2026 I live in Complexo de Terra Nostra<\/a>, in Barros Filho, which has the third-lowest Human Development Index numbers in the city<\/a> of Rio de Janeiro. The folks from [\u00c1guas do Rio] are setting up water meters in a place that doesn’t have basic sanitation; where people don\u2019t have water tanks, where people don\u2019t have schools, where every day is a struggle\u2026 So community leaders are tied hand and foot. They can no longer bring water to residents, because everything depends on \u00c1guas do Rio and people have no water\u2026 There’s no environmental education, there are no job opportunities\u2026 We ask that they look to the favelas.\u201d \u2014 N\u00e9lio Lopes<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"At<\/a>
At the end of the demonstration, protesters marched past \u00c1guas do Rio\u2019s headquarters, chanting, \u201cWhile water is scarce, profits abound!\u201d Photo: B\u00e1rbara Dias<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At the end of the demonstration, protesters marched past \u00c1guas do Rio\u2019s headquarters, holding banners and chanting slogans, in a collective expression of outrage.<\/p>\n

View the Full Album<\/a> of the World Water Day Demonstration:<\/h3>\n

\"Ato<\/a>