New ‘Water Watch Platform’ Enables Monitoring and Public Participation in Health and Sanitation in the State of Rio de Janeiro.
During the week marking World Water Day, the Water Watch Platform* was launched. The tool was created by the Popular Network for Sanitation and Health Monitoring of the Brazilian national health foundation’s (Fiocruz) Sergio Arouca National School of Public Health (ENSP). The ceremony was organized by the Research Group on Health, Environment and Sanitation (SAS Fiocruz) in the institution’s auditorium and drew 192 participants, both in person and online.
All Eyes on Rio’s Water Rights
The city of Rio de Janeiro is marked by deep inequalities, including in access to water and sanitation. Following the privatization of water and sanitation distribution services in 2021, the concession was transferred to the utility Águas do Rio. Although the company has expanded its coverage across the city since then, residents report worsening service, with high rates and continued difficulties accessing water. Data released by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) after the 2022 census show that youth, Black, brown and Indigenous people are among those most affected by inadequate sanitation, including both lack of access to the public network and limitations within their homes.
