In 2023, the Group completed 25 years of operation in the private water and sewage market as one of the largest and longest-running companies in the sector operating in Brazil, guided by operational responsibility and financial discipline. This experience and robustness allowed it to structure, in record time, the operation of Rio+Saneamento, a new concession responsible for services in 18 municipalities in the state of Rio de Janeiro, which includes 48% of the territory of the capital of the state.

Over these years, its expansion took place in a structured and sustainable way, culminating in the acquisition, in August 2023, of the Águas da Imperatriz concessionaire, in the municipality of Teresópolis, in the state of Rio de Janeiro. With an investment of R$480 million, the Group takes on another challenge for 25 years: to universalize the distribution of treated water to 165 thousand inhabitants, in addition to sewage collection and treatment for 90% of the municipality. The concession contract was signed in December 2023 with operations beginning in January 2024.

In 2022, Águas do Brasil Group joined the Brazilian Network from the Global Compact, an initiative of the United Nations (UN) to mobilize the business community to adopt and promote, in their business practices, Ten Principles universally accepted in the areas of human rights, labor, the environment and the fight against corruption. In addition, it adhered to the Business Pact for Integrity and Against Corruption, of the Ethos Institute. The pact is a voluntary commitment assumed by private and public companies, whose objective is to unite them to promote a more honest and ethical market and reduce corrupt practices.

Three of its concessionaires occupied the top three places in the 2022 Sanitation Ranking by the Trata Brasil Institute. Niterói remains first among the 100 largest Brazilian cities, followed by Petrópolis and Campos dos Goytacazes.

In March, Rio+Saneamento signed the concession contract. In August, the concessionaire began complete management of water and sewage services in 18 municipalities in Rio, including 22 neighborhoods in the West Zone of the capital. Rio+ will invest R$ 4.7 billion over the 35 years of the concession. The concessionaire will fund part of the investments in the first decade of the contract and carry out infrastructure works, sewage treatment and maintenance of existing networks. The West Zone communities will receive R$ 350 million in investments.

In May, the Group launched its first Sustainability Report in line with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines. The document reinforces the company’s commitment to sustainable growth, highlighting ESG results and initiatives by international standards.

The Águas do Brasil Group won the auction for Block 3 of the Companhia Estadual de Águas e Esgotos do Rio de Janeiro (CEDAE), with an offer of R$2.2 billion. It was the remaining block of CEDAE (four blocks in Rio de Janeiro state). The Company's third block involves 18 municipalities in Rio de Janeiro (State), including 22 neighborhoods in the city of Rio de Janeiro – where the company already operates sewage treatment and the commercial area of Planning Area 5 (AP -5) - West Zone Concessionaire.

As part of the execution of its Strategic Planning, the Group put into operation the Automation of Water Treatment Stations (WTS) Coroa, the Group's largest Water Treatment Station, in Águas do Paraíba, WTS Tapera and Santa Margarida, at Águas de Nova Friburgo. Conducted by the Research and Technology (P&T) Department with support from the Corporate Automation and Energy Department, the project aims to automate the quality monitoring of treated and filtered water, in addition to allowing the automatic dosing of chemical products (coagulant, chlorine and fluoride) in the stations. WTS Juturnaíba was the first to have automation in its processes.

In a year marked by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Group adopted several measures to preserve the health and safety of their employees, as well as the continuity of water and sewage services. The concessionaires also developed external actions to minimize the impacts of the coronavirus in the cities where they operate.

To further strengthen its relationship with customers and enable all services to be carried out quickly, easily and without having to leave home, the Group implemented three new relationship channels: WhatsApp, Interactive Chat and the Cliente Águas app.

In December, the Group began serving the municipality of Paraíba do Sul (RJ), through the concessionaire Águas da Condessa, with the management of water supply, sewage collection and treatment services.

The Group reaffirmed its prominent position regarding the expansion of the sector, especially in private concession processes, by achieving, in 2018 and 2019, the AAA(bra) rating granted by Fitch Ratings, one of the world's most significant risk rating agencies. 

These years were also marked by restructuring projects in the Commercial areas – with a new management model seeking excellence, mainly in customer relationships – and Operational, with the Energy Efficiency Program and the Water Loss Reduction Program, the Água de Valor (Valuable Water).

The years 2016 and 2017 were significant because the Group focused on studies about PMI, Expression of Interest Procedure in municipalities, and the PPI, Partnership Investment Program developed by BNDES, which led, between 2018 and 2019, to several biddings that expanded the private participation in sanitation.

In these years, the Group achieved the highest rating given by Fitch Ratings, one of the world's most significant risk rating agencies, being the only sanitation company in Brazil with an AA+ rating.

The Group created the Shared Services Center (CSC) to serve its 14 concessions.

In April, the Group began water supply and sewage activities in the municipality of Jaú, in the state of São Paulo, through the concessionaire Águas de Jahu.

In the same month, the holding company arrived in Pará de Minas, in the state of Minas Gerais, through the concessionaire Águas de Pará de Minas. The company became responsible for the municipality's water supply and sewage services.

In February, Águas de Paraty took over the water supply and sewage services for the urban area of Paraty (RJ). The concession is a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), which includes the concessionaire's resources and public contributions from the municipality, the State Fund for Environmental Conservation and Urban Development (FECAM) and Eletronuclear.

This year, the Águas do Brasil Group started developing concession projects with shared management (Joint Venture), expanding its operations to São Paulo.

In June, the Group began serving the municipality of Votorantim, in São Paulo, through the Águas de Votorantim concession, managing water supply, sewage collection and treatment services.

In Rio de Janeiro, the most significant private concession in the country was formed, Zona Oeste Mais Saneamento, with 50% participation by the Águas do Brasil Group. This concessionaire is responsible for operating the sewage system and commercial water management in the AP-5 region, comprising 22 neighborhoods in the West Zone of Rio de Janeiro.

This year, the Group created the holding company – Saneamento Ambiental Águas do Brasil (SAAB).

In January, the Group began its activities in Nova Friburgo, with the concessionaire Águas de Nova Friburgo, and expanded its operations in new companies in the state of São Paulo

The municipality of Jaú began to be served in sewage treatment by the concessionaire Sanej.

In December, the Group took over the water supply management, sewage collection and treatment in the city of Araçoiaba da Serra, in the state of São Paulo, with the implementation of the Águas de Araçoiaba concessionaire.

In January, the Group began its operations in the municipality of Resende, through the concessionaire Águas das Agulhas Negras.

Due to lack of regulation, the concessions market remained stagnant until 2007, when Federal Law 11,445 was sanctioned, establishing national guidelines for basic sanitation, and creating conditions for developing this market.

The Group expanded its operations in September by implementing Águas do Paraíba, in Campos de Goytacazes.

In November the concessionaire Águas de Niterói began its operations.

The Águas do Brasil Group took over, on January 1st, the management of water and sewage services in Petrópolis, through the concessionaire Águas do Imperador.

Two months later, the concessionaire Águas de Juturnaíba took over the sanitation services of the municipalities of Araruama, Silva Jardim and Saquarema.