Managing Water Supply Infrastructure in Medium‐Sized Cities to Meet User Demands: A Case Study of Natal, Brazil

ABSTRACT The article investigates the management of water supply infrastructure in Natal, Brazil, analyzing the alignment between the utility's investments and user demands during the period from 2016 to 2019. Using data from the Customer Service Center (CAU) and official investment information, it was identified that approximately 67% of complaints about water shortages remained unresolved within the regulatory timeframe, particularly in the city's most vulnerable regions, such as the north zone. Although significant investments were planned for the 2019–2023 tariff cycle, only 2% of the total planned was actually realized, and these resources were not primarily allocated to areas with the highest incidence of supply problems. This disparity reveals failures in the planning and prioritization of actions, resulting in service intermittency and exacerbating inequalities in water access. Based on these findings, the study reinforces the need to improve regulation, monitoring, and resource allocation mechanisms to ensure safe, equitable, and continuous supply to the population of Natal.