ANALYSIS OF WATER LOSS INDICATORS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH SOCIOECONOMIC INEQUALITY IN THE STATE OF RIO DE JANEIRO

Abstract

This article presents a sociotechnical analysis of water losses in distribution systems, investigating the correlation between structural inefficiencies and social inequalities. The study draws on data from SINISA (2023) and the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) Demographic Census (2022) to outline a framework ranging from the national scale to a case study in the State of Rio de Janeiro. The results indicate that Brazil loses approximately 40% of the potable water produced, with the State of Rio de Janeiro exhibiting loss rates exceeding 50%, the worst performance in the Southeast region. Spatial analysis revealed a strong correlation between low-income areas, such as the Baixada Fluminense, and high levels of both physical and non-revenue water losses, in contrast to high-income areas such as Niterói, which demonstrate greater operational efficiency. It is concluded that inadequate infrastructure is not merely a technical issue, but rather a component of water injustice that perpetuates historical exclusions and hinders the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 6, 10, and 11.