EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
January 2009
this month ’ s series :
The Chilean model
Chile has the highest wastewater treatment
level among Latin American countries,
going from a coverage index of 8% in
1989 to more than 80% today. This is
comparable to the level seen in the United
States and northern European countries.
Attractive markets
While countries like Argentina have closed
their doors to the private sector, Peru has
become notably more open to foreign
investment in the sanitation sector, with
a healthy list of concessions on offer to
support the incumbent state-run service
providers.
Slow progress in Brazil
A lack of norms and regulatory legislation
has kept private sector participation to a
minimum in Brazil’s sanitation sector, but
in recent years the government has started
taking steps in the right direction. There is
a lot to be done since Brazil collects around
50% of sewage today, but no more than
32% of the collected water is treated.
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Wastewater treatment makes
it onto the agenda
It is estimated that by 2025 half the global in this region the sector suffers from a
population - almost 4 billion people - could chronic lack of access to financing.
be subject to serious water shortages. So says
the World Water Council, an organization Moreover, given the limited availability of
made up of various associations, academic water services in most of the region, the
institutions and NGOs. sanitation sector in many countries has
prioritized service coverage, particularly for
While developed countries have generally distribution of potable water, and only once
succeeded in halting the deterioration this need has been met will water utilities
of surface water quality, through heavy look at issues such as wastewater treatment.
investment in treatment plants over the
last 30 years, quality water is still relatively This report weighs up the varying levels
hard to come by in most of Latin America. of development depending on the country,
The clear exceptions to this are Chile and bearing in mind that some have achieved
Uruguay. This is because water treatment significant progress in recent years,
plants are very costly and in most countries according to Eclac.
Improved sanitation facilities (% of population with access)
Argentina 91
Bolivia 43
Brazil 77
Chile 94
Colombia 78
Costa Rica 96
Cuba 98
D. Republic 79
Ecuador 84
El Salvador 86
Guatemala 84
Haiti 19
Honduras 66
Mexico 81
Nicaragua 48
Panama 74
Paraguay 70
Peru 72
Uruguay 100
Venezuela 86
Source: World Bank
or +56-2 941 0300.
or +56-2 941 0404.
 Infrastructure Daily Written and researched by
Gustavo Stok

Content Development & Analysis

At the beginning of 2008, Mexico’s government created a Editor

Raúl Ferro
US$3.9 billion National Infrastructure Fund to finance projects
Executive editor
worth a total of US$25 billion in this sector over the next 5 Henriette Iraçabal
years. In Brazil, a federal plan to accelerate economic growth
Financial services analyst
includes investments in the order of US$30 billion in roads María Alejandra Moreno

and highways between 2007 and 2010, and in Peru, the road Telecom analyst
Phil Anderson
infrastructure deficit is some US$7 billion.
Energy analyst
Michael LaGiglia
From whichever angle, infrastructure investment requirements
Financial data analyst
(and plans) come to billions of dollars. While this is nothing María José Arredondo
new, this time round the possibilities of these investments
Researchers
being made are higher than they’ve ever been before. Gonzalo Vergara
Carlos Montoya

T his means that in the next few among the projects and regulations BNamericas Infrastructure Group
years, business opportunities upon which this growing and
Editor
are as numerous as they are attractive sector of Latin American Greta Bourke
lucrative. business is based.
This is the context in which The Infrastructure Intelligence Santiago, Chile
BNamericas is launching a new Series will focus on topics such as: Eva Medalla
· Concessions Catherine Setterfield
product, the Infrastructure
Indiana Corrales
Intelligence Series, which every · Privatizations
quarter will focus on the biggest · Port development Sao Paulo, Brasil
trends and topics within the region · Logistical integration projects Daniel Bland
in order for you and your company · Airports
· Railways Translated into English by
to have all the information and
Patrick Nixon
analysis necessary to find your way · Urban transport
· Water and waste treatment Designed by
Tamara Lorca

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