DESPERDÍCIOS DE RECURSOS HÍDRICOS: DESIGUALDADES REGIONAIS E POSSÍVEIS IMPACTOS SOBRE INVESTIMENTOS EM ABASTECIMENTO DE ÁGUA.

The article characterized the problem of water losses in Brazil. Municipal rates of water loss in revenue show that water losses are a significant problem and that this is greater in less developed regions (North and Northeast). Furthermore, it was found that the losses showed a downward trend, but not so significant. Additional evidence was that the private provision and regional levels, linking the incentive of profit maximization to potential economies of scale, is superior to the specific problem of losses. Furthermore, by means of simulations were simulated elevations of investments that would be possible with reduced losses. It observed that those increases would be higher in regions where sanitation services present major problems. Therefore, the reduction of losses, and relieve the pressure on the availability of water resources, would enable resources to be invested in the quality and coverage of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]