Avaliação espacial de indicadores de qualidade e cobertura dos serviços de abastecimento de água e esgotos na região metropolitana de João Pessoa

Abstract

Access to basic sanitation services is one of the fundamental pillars for the well-being of the population, directly influencing public health, quality of life, and the social and economic development of a region. A detailed analysis of the coverage and quality of these services allows for the identification of areas that still face structural deficiencies and, consequently, require investments and improvements. This study aims to assess the quality and scope of water supply and sewage services in the Metropolitan Region of João Pessoa, focusing on the years 2011, 2016, and 2021. The choice of these years is due to the context of legal transformations, particularly with the implementation of Law No. 11.445/2007, which brought the first national guidelines for sanitation, and Law No. 14.026/2020, which introduced the goal of universalizing services by 2033, requiring a more updated analysis of the impacts of these policies. Through the use of geoprocessing technologies and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), it was possible to spatially map the Urban Water Supply Index (IN023), the Distribution Loss Index (IN049), and the Urban Sewage Collection Index (IN024). In addition to the individual analysis of each index, the average sanitation indicator was calculated, obtained by the simple arithmetic mean of the three indices considered, allowing a global and comparative evaluation between the municipalities. This method enabled a more integrated synthesis of the basic sanitation situation and facilitated the identification of territorial inequalities. Data collection was carried out through the National System of Information on Basic Sanitation (SINISA), which provided the necessary parameters for the analysis. The results indicate that, although there have been advances in coverage and service quality, significant inequalities persist between the municipalities in the region, with areas such as João Pessoa and Cabedelo showing higher indices, while places like Pitimbu and Pedras de Fogo face significant challenges. The visualization of the data through thematic maps allowed for the highlighting of these disparities and emphasized the importance of public policies aimed at underserved areas, to ensure the universalization of sanitation and reduce inequalities in access to essential services.