Desvendando o conceito de saneamento no Brasil: uma análise da percepção da população e do discurso técnico contemporâneo

Abstract

Benefits from sanitation1 services are closely linked to socio-cultural characteristics of the population that will profit from them, requiring the analysis of how the community interrelates with the technical intervention. Thus, the role of sanitary engineering must be in harmony with the populations interests and needs and it is extremely important that the professionals try to identify the citizens perception regarding sanitation. This approach could support the formulation of better public policies that can ultimately lead to providing the service in an appropriate way to each reality and to the needs of the community. The social debt accumulatedin the sanitation sector ruins most of the Brazilian population, similarly with the situation of other developing countries. In this context, universalization of sanitation services needs to steer by an interdisciplinary vision and by intersector actions, focused on public regulation and social control. Based on these concepts, the main objective of this thesis is to identify populations perception regarding sanitation and confront it with technical discourses currently adopted inBrazil. The research method adopted was the focus group, a qualitative research strategy. In this method, several participants, selected in a proper way to meet the research interest profiles, were invited to meetings where they were encouraged to discuss the subjects related to the research questions. Nine focus groups, grouped according to the variables (i) education level (high and low) and (ii) housing environment (rural and urban), were performed. On the other hand, analysis of the discourses by technical and academic areas, as well as the government and the media, allowed to identify the diversity of definitions adopted. A conflict regarding technical concept usually adopted in Brazil and the one currently used in an international context was recognized. This conflict has caused the spontaneous translation of sanitation in English and saneamiento in Spanish for saneamento, leading to different meanings. This fact determines the need for discussions about the theme, to allow dialogue between all actors involved. The dialogues analysis between the focus groups participants suggests that thepopulation, regardless of education level and housing environment, understands sanitation as a way to deliver the quality of life for people. Supply of light, paving of roads, house constructing with structure, among others, are considered as integrating sanitary services. The results pointout to a divergence between peoples understanding about sanitation and the approach by technical and academic sectors and government. Assuming this divergence and the fact that the knowledge of the populations perception should be considered for the formulation andimplementation of public policies, there is a need to reflect on the real meaning of the sanitation concept, as well as its services to the various sectors of society. This is important in order to identify the real targets to be foreseen and the benefits achievable