RIO DE JANEIRO – Rio de Janeiro state privatized its water and sewage utility on Friday, after years of broken promises to improve sewage treatment and clean up the state's polluted Guanabara Bay.
It was Brazil's biggest-ever privatization in the sewage sector, and the first to take place after a new regulatory framework for it took effect.
The utility Cedae attends to 64 municipalities in Rio state, of which 35 were included in the auction. The majority of the state-owned company's assets were divided into four water distribution and sewerage service areas.
Companies presented bids for the 35-year concessions of all but one: that of the eponymous capital’s west zone and six other municipalities.