en.Wedoany.com Reported - The government of São Paulo State has opened a 180-day application window allowing municipalities to formally join the Basic Sanitation Regional Unit (URAE 2). The resolution was issued by the Department of Environment, Infrastructure and Logistics (Semil).

To join, municipalities must submit to the Department of Environment, Infrastructure and Logistics an integration agreement signed by the municipal chief executive, along with the required documents and proof of regulated services. If regulation has not yet been completed, a commitment must be made to achieve regulation within 90 days.

The Department of Environment, Infrastructure and Logistics notes that joining this regional governance structure helps municipalities participate in regional governance, which focuses on planning, water security, climate resilience, water quality, and monitoring of sanitation universalization goals. The act of joining does not automatically change the service delivery model, does not constitute mandatory franchising, and does not transfer municipal ownership.

Municipalities that maintain their own services, concession contracts, or indirect management models may join URAE 2 while retaining their autonomy. Regionalization is seen as a prerequisite for expanding access to federal and state resources and financing, in compliance with the New Sanitation Legal Framework and the regulations of the São Paulo State government.