THE IMPLEMENTATION OF WATER CHARGES IN BRAZIL: CONTRIBUTIONS AND CHALLENGES

Abstract

The first charges for water use in Brazil occurred in 1996, in the state of Ceará, with other river basins adopting the strategy over time. Despite the 1997 Water Law, charging in federal hydrographic basins only began in 2003, as is the case in the Paraíba do Sul river basin. In this context, the article aims to evaluate the implementation of charging models in Brazilian hydrographic basins, in addition to highlighting the main contributions of the resources derived from such charges and understanding the most urgent challenges. The methodology consisted of a literary search and an analysis of charging methods adopted in Brazil. The organizational model established by the Water Law is an adequate platform for the implementation of different charging models, constituting a significant institutional advance, as it allows democratic discussion between users, public authorities and organized civil society. However, from this investigation, it was found that charging models are adopted in few Brazilian basins, most of which do not even have a water resource plan. In cases where there is a charge for the use of water, this practice proved to be insufficient to change the behavior of the user to rationalize this natural resource.