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Access to waterÌýand sanitation are recognized asÌýhuman rights. Photo by Ana Claudia Hafemann

Characterized as a global pandemic on March 11, 2020 in a statement by the World Health Organization, the new coronavirus came to present us with a reality for which we were not prepared to face it in the required totality. Learning from the cases on a daily basis, new attitudes and changes in habits, often radical, were required of governments, utilities and citizens.

The threat of the virus, coupled with the lack of information about the disease, became a combination for the anxieties and fears of the society that awaited the end of the situation, at the time when the new behavior was based on preventive measures and control of the spread of the virus.

As measures to guide the population, three types of actions were considered: containing the virus after its introduction by isolating and tracking confirmed cases; protection of health professionals and organization of services to meet the increased demand for new infected and, finally, the deceleration of transmission.

Affected directly and indirectly, the whole world society comes to experience the impacts of the new coronavirus. In this sense, a major challenge was to guarantee basic rights for human survival, especially in economically fragile countries. Thus, in the list of priority actions for the survival and maintenance of the dignity of the human person, as well as the prerogative of the right to health, well-being and security, the adequate provision of water supply and sanitation services enters this scenario.

As a fundamental right to life, the guarantee of access to water represents a crucial factor for the sanitary and emotional stabilization of every citizen. In this way, providing safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene services aims to contribute decisively in combating the spread of the coronavirus.

Ana Claudia Hafemann

In this perspective, we bring the focus of reflection to the responsibility attributed to the regulation of public water and sanitation services. It means to affirm that, at that moment, the role of control and inspection of these services shows their merit and ability to make a difference, notably in countries and regions where supply was precarious before the pandemic.

Considering the economic and financial impacts that may arise with the emergency situation and extend as a consequence to users, it is up to the regulation to enable mitigating measures and actions, without, however, causing imbalances to utilities, so that, in the near future, do not harm the whole society too much.

Therefore, the regulatory role gains even more strength and representativeness. The application of measures to prevent and deal with the virus corroborates that such measures are essential to guarantee the supply, such as the prohibition of cuts in water connections due to default; extensions of the application of tariff adjustments and exemption from charges from vulnerable populations.

The protection of human dignity arising from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights represents a process of progressive achievements. Allied thus, with the emergence of treaties on the subject in the social and economic areas, it is worth highlighting the importance of environmental issues, including the aspects of basic sanitation, for the quality of life and well-being of the population.

Through regulation, we can create an enabling environment for the progressive realization of human rights to water. We need water and sanitation services to be effectively understood and worked as an intersectoral policy through more stable and continuous public policies, the strengthening of local power, the valorization of planning, the guarantee of social participation and a recognized, independent and technical regulation.

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Ana Claudia Hafemann, MSc

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