Escassez hidrorracial no leste metropolitano fluminense: evidências de desigualdade racial no acesso à água tratada

The United Nations has recognized access to treated water and sanitation as an inalienable fundamental human right. In Brazil, the Sanitation Law and its recent update establish the universalization of basic sanitation as both a principle and goal to be achieved by 2033. However, millions of Brazilians remain excluded from this right, particularly the most vulnerable populations, including Black individuals. This research examines the correlation between areas lacking access to treated water services and the proportion of self-identified as Black or Brown individuals, based on data from the IBGE Census. The study focused on municipalities in the Metropolitan East of Rio de Janeiro where water services have yet to be universalized. The results reveal that areas with the highest proportion of white individuals are precisely those with the best coverage rates, highlighting the perpetuation of structural racism in the region. These findings underscore the ongoing challenges in promoting equality and equity in access to basic sanitation.