WATER SCARCITY AND RAW WATER CHARGES IN THE STATE OF CEARÁ, BRAZIL | WATER SCARCITY AND RAW WATER CHARGES IN THE STATE OF CEARÁ, BRAZIL | ESCASSEZ DE ÁGUA E A COBRANÇA DA ÁGUA BRUTA NO ESTADO DO CEARÁ, BRASIL

English. Economic instruments, such as water charges, have been used to promote water conservation and raise funds for basin management. However, there is a need to improve the water collection model in Brazil. The aims of this study were to analyze the evolution of raw water charges in the State of Ceará and verify the effect of drought on the costs and water collection from 2011 to 2019 to answer two questions: does the water collection fulfill its function of financing the water resources system? Is the pricing model flexible to absorb the effects of climate variability? We conducted a content analysis to determine the presence of certain words in selected documents, and then analyzed the costs of system operation. The results show that the payment capacity is lower than the tariff applied to water. The Status Index is negatively correlated with the Administration (ADM) and Operation and Maintenance (O&M) costs. The generated revenue is mainly used to cover the management costs (ADM and O&M); however, it is insufficient to finance the implementation of measures, programs, and projects to improve the water management in respective basins. Thus, a floating tariff should be established in which the water scarcity and effects of climate variability are incorporated.

Spanish; Castilian. Economic instruments, such as water charges, have been used to promote water conservation and raise funds for basin management. However, there is a need to improve the water collection model in Brazil. The aims of this study were to analyze the evolution of raw water charges in the State of Ceará and verify the effect of drought on the costs and water collection from 2011 to 2019 to answer two questions: does the water collection fulfill its function of financing the water resources system? Is the pricing model flexible to absorb the effects of climate variability? We conducted a content analysis to determine the presence of certain words in selected documents, and then analyzed the costs of system operation. The results show that the payment capacity is lower than the tariff applied to water. The Status Index is negatively correlated with the Administration (ADM) and Operation and Maintenance (O&M) costs. The generated revenue is mainly used to cover the management costs (ADM and O&M); however, it is insufficient to finance the implementation of measures, programs, and projects to improve the water management in respective basins. Thus, a floating tariff should be established in which the water scarcity and effects of climate variability are incorporated.

Portuguese. Instrumentos econômicos têm sido utilizados para promover a conservação da água e arrecadar recursos para o financiamento do sistema de recursos hídricos. Desta forma, o estudo tem como objetivo analisar a evolução da cobrança do uso de água bruta no Ceará assim como verificar o impacto da seca nos custos e na arrecadação da água durante o período de 2011 a 2019 respondendo a duas perguntas:  A cobrança cumpre a sua função de financiar o sistema de recursos hídricos?  O modelo de tarifação é flexível a fim de absorver os efeitos da variabilidade do clima? A metodologia foi dividida em duas partes: análise de conteúdo e análise dos custos de operacionalização do sistema. Observou-se que, em geral, a capacidade de pagamento é inferior ao valor da tarifa de água. Foi constatado que o Índice de Estado está correlacionado negativamente com os custos de AO&M. Além disso, a arrecadação gerada é direcionada quase em sua totalidade para os custos de AO&M, sendo insuficiente para financiar as medidas, programas e projetos para melhoria das respectivas bacias. Cita-se como desafio a elaboração de uma tarifa flutuante que tenha relação a escassez hídrica e possa incorporar os efeitos da variabilidade do clima.