Viviane Rodrigues Virgolim (Brazil)

IHE Delft│Netherlands

Linking technology to planning and management in decentralized sanitation practices (Brazil)

In my research I investigated factors that affect the development, delivery and uptake of decentralized sanitation in informal settlements in Brasília. Applying a mixed-method approach that included semi-structured interviews with key informants and a household survey, I found that tenure insecurity has resulted in informal households remaining unconnected to the municipality’s centralized network. Consequently, informal settlement residents are relying on decentralized technologies to meet their sanitation needs, but coverage remains limited due to lack of municipal interest to support the increased development, delivery and uptake of alternative systems. I concluded that decentralized sanitation could be a feasible alternative for informal settlements in Brazil with the right governmental support, legal and regulatory framework and institutional arrangements.