Brazilian Association of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering (ABES)

The Brazilian Association of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering – ABES, is a non-governmental, non-profit organization of national scope, whose main objective is to contribute, through the knowledge of its members, to the improvement of the quality of life of Brazilian society. Its operational dynamics are based on the development of a wide range of activities structured on the foundations of sanitary engineering and environmental sciences and, primarily, through a series of actions aimed at the professional and academic improvement of its members.

Since its founding in 1966, it has been internationally recognized as an institution duly qualified to exercise significant leadership in a broad and pluralistic manner across the various sectors that comprise basic and environmental sanitation in Brazil.

It is ABES’s statutory responsibility to collaborate in raising awareness throughout society on issues related to environmental preservation.

It is also characterized as a benchmark and participatory institution in establishing social and political mechanisms that can produce positive effects on the health and well-being of the general population. It has a national headquarters located in Rio de Janeiro with representation in all Federative Units.

ABES participates at the national and state levels in the main bodies and forums related to sanitation, such as: CONAMA, National Council of Water Resources – CNRH, CONFEA, State Environmental Councils, etc. It maintains agreements with international institutions such as: PAHO, WHO, World Bank, Water Environment Federation – WEF, International Association for Water Pollution Research and Control – IAWPRC, etc. It is precisely through its state sections that ABES develops valuable work in promoting the sector. Its technical and scientific dissemination programs, planned in the short, medium and long term, are of great importance, allowing sanitary and environmental engineering professionals to access the most current methods and the most relevant achievements in basic sanitation worldwide.

The organization’s activities include holding seminars, symposia, lectures, debates, courses and, every two years, in different cities across the country, national congresses specializing in sanitary and environmental engineering. ABES is the National Chapter of AIDIS – Asociación Interamericana de Ingeniería Sanitária y Ambiental, an entity that brings together all countries of the American continent.

Throughout its history, ABES has recorded significant victories for the benefit of the sector; it has been present in national struggles seeking to reverse the serious health situation in the country, and has publicly expressed its views through resolutions approved at its congresses since 1960.

To renew its board of directors, ABES holds elections every two years; all members can be candidates for any of the institution’s positions. Through specific agreements, ABES maintains close ties with related international institutions and also interacts with national entities through its Technical Committees.

Together with the Portuguese Association of Water Resources, it has held the SILUBESA – Luso-Brazilian Symposium on Sanitary and Environmental Engineering every two years since 1984 (alternately in Brazil and Portugal). Similarly, in collaboration with ANDIS – Associazione Nazionale di Ingegneria Sanitaria – Ambientale, it promotes the SIBESA – Italo-Brazilian Symposium on Sanitary and Environmental Engineering biennially, the first having taken place in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro and subsequent symposia alternating between Brazil and Italy.

ABES members receive the following publications free of charge:

• Sanitary and Environmental Engineering Journal
• ABES News Bulletin – ABES national newsletter
• Brazilian Journal of Environmental Sciences
• ABES-SP Newsletter – ABES-SP weekly newsletter

In addition to these publications, members can also freely consult studies and documents on basic sanitation and environmental sciences on our website. Members also receive discounts on courses, seminars, congresses, and technical publications listed in our book catalog.