A justiça hídrica em Belém do Pará: uma análise comparativa da distribuição de água nos bairros de Nazaré e Benguí

Abstract

This dissertation analyzes the inequalities in access to drinking water in Belém (PA), based on a comparison between the neighborhoods of Nazaré, located in the central area, and Benguí, situated in a peripheral zone of urban expansion. The study is grounded in the concepts of water justice, hydrosocial cycle, and uneven urbanization, seeking to understand how social, political, and structural factors condition the distribution of a resource essential to life. The research adopted a mixed approach (qualitative and quantitative), combining the analysis of secondary data from the 2022 Census, PNSB/IBGE, the Water and Sanitation Institute (IAS), and the Municipal Basic Sanitation Plan (2020), along with content analysis of journalistic reports that reveal the social perception and daily impacts of service failures. The data were systematized and compared to identify patterns, contrasts, and convergences between official sources and residents’ experiences, consolidating the analytical and comparative character of the research.The results show that, although Belém presents high overall coverage rates, this average conceals significant disparities revealed by the comparative analysis: Nazaré has a consolidated infrastructure with stable supply from the São Brás Water Treatment Plant (ETA São Brás), while Benguí faces constant supply failures, low storage capacity, and lack of automation a situation frequently reported by the press. It is concluded that achieving universal access to water in Belém requires public policies guided by water justice, with investments in the most vulnerable areas and stronger regulation to overcome socio-spatial inequalities and ensure the effectiveness of the human right to water.