Itapema water and sewage

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In July 2004 the municipality of Itapema, Brazil, awarded a 25 year concession contract for the town’s water and sewage services to private operator Aguas de Itapema. The town, located in the state of Santa Catarina, had a total of 34,000 inhabitants in 2004. Water and sewage services had previously been provided by state utility Companhia Catarinense de Aguas e Saneamento (CASAN). In 2004 Aguas de Itapema serviced some 10,500 water connections. Network losses were high, at 57%. Aguas de Itapema was a special purpose company owned by local private firms Construtora Nascimento and Linear Participacoes e Construcoes de Cuiaba. The exact ownership structure was not known. According to figures from the water agency ABCON, the concessionaire committed to invest some 48 million Reals ($16 million) by 2010. The company reported investments over US$ 34.5 million (BRL 69 million) between 2004 and mid-2009. In December 2015, Conasa reached an agreement with the municipality to incur in addtional investments of US$136.1 million (BRL 504 million) in exchange for an extension of the existing contract until 2044.