Samae

What Samae does

Samae (Serviço Autônomo de Água e Esgoto de Caxias do Sul) is a municipal autarchy — a government-owned autonomous entity — founded in 1964 and operating under the Prefeitura de Caxias do Sul in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It holds the statutory monopoly over water treatment, distribution, and sewage collection for the municipality, processing approximately 1.7 million cubic meters of water monthly and serving the residential, commercial, and industrial consumers of Caxias do Sul. The entity's core technology consists of water treatment stations, a sewage collection network, and water quality laboratories, with buried distribution infrastructure representing the bulk of its capital base. Its flagship current initiative, Programa Água Boa, is extending treated water networks by tens of kilometers to previously unserved rural and interior communities (72 km initiated in 2024, with active projects in São Virgílio, Terceira Légua, Ana Rech, Vila Seca, Galópolis, and 4ª Légua).

Samae operates a vertically integrated service portfolio: water supply, sewage collection and treatment, water quality analysis, public fountain management, leak detection and repair, and environmental education. Its consumer-facing layer includes the Samae Digital mobile application (available on Google Play and App Store) for billing, second-copy invoices, leak reporting, and account management, alongside multi-channel customer service (WhatsApp, 24-hour emergency hotline, email, in-person service center). Revenue is generated through regulated water and sewage tariffs that undergo annual public review, with the most recent revision effective July 1. The entity also runs community-facing engagement programs, notably the annual Acqua Fest (4th edition drew 38,000 attendees) coinciding with its 60th anniversary in 2024, and operates an environmental education program and Operação Verão Seguro reservoir safety initiative.

The leadership consists of President Edson da Rosa, who in 2024 was also installed as 2nd Vice President of the Associação Nacional de Saneamento (Assemae). Samae is publicly positioning itself as a defender of municipal autonomy in sanitation, in coalition with other municipal autarchies, and hosted the 54th National Sanitation Congress in Caxias do Sul. As a government entity, Samae does not have private shareholders, funding rounds, or external investors; it is funded through tariffs, municipal budget allocations, and public procurement processes (licitações). It is currently expanding its municipal scope with the first greenhouse gas emissions inventory for Caxias do Sul and an internally developed landslide risk decision-support tool.

Name

Samae

Legal name

Serviço Autônomo de Água e Esgoto de Caxias do Sul

Website

https://samaecaxias.com.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Samae is the municipal water and sewage utility (autarchy) of Caxias do Sul, Brazil, founded in 1964. It provides treated water supply, sewage collection, water quality monitoring, and rural network expansion to residential, commercial, and industrial consumers under regulated municipal tariffs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Water and Sewage Utilities

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Advanced/Nutrient Removal (BNR/ENR: N, P) (EUANADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Municipal Wastewater Collection (Sewer Networks) (BPALAMAA), Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)

Keywords

• Municipal water supply
• Sewage collection services
• Water treatment utilities
• Environmental sanitation
• Water quality monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Caxias Do Sul

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Samae operates as a municipal water and sewage utility (Serviço Autônomo de Água e Esgoto) for the city of Caxias do Sul, Brazil. It treats and distributes drinking water to residential, commercial, and industrial consumers, and collects and treats sewage from connected properties. The utility complements these core services with water quality monitoring, public fountain maintenance, leak repairs, and a mobile self-service application (Samae Digital) for account management.

Product overview

Samae (Serviço Autônomo de Água e Esgoto) is a municipal water and sewage utility serving Caxias do Sul, Brazil. The organization operates as a public autarchy providing core water supply and sewage collection/treatment services, complemented by water quality monitoring, public fountain infrastructure, and environmental education programs. Their digital portfolio includes a mobile application (Samae Digital) for consumer self-service. A flagship social program, Programa Água Boa, extends water networks to underserved rural communities. The utility also organizes the annual Acqua Fest community event celebrating water awareness.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Supply Service (Abastecimento de Água)
• Sewage Collection and Treatment (Rede de Esgoto)
• Water Quality Analysis (Análises da Água)
• Leak Detection, Repairs and Inspections (Consertos e Vistorias)
• Public Fountain Service (Fontes Públicas)
• SAMAE Digital Mobile Application

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sanepar: Companhia de Saneamento do Paraná is the state water and sewage utility of Paraná. Directly comparable as a publicly-traded Brazilian water utility providing water supply, sewage collection, and treatment services under regulated tariffs.
• Aegea Saneamento: Aegea is one of Brazil's largest private-sector water and sewage operators, holding concessions across multiple states. Comparable as a competitor/peer operating water and wastewater infrastructure in Brazil under concession contracts, contrasting Samae's public-utility model.
• Iguá Saneamento: Iguá is a Brazilian private water and sewage utility operator with concessions in multiple municipalities. Comparable as an operator of municipal water/sewage concessions in Brazil, directly competing for concession opportunities similar to those adjacent to Samae's territory.
• Sabesp: Companhia de Saneamento Básico do Estado de São Paulo is Brazil's largest state-owned water and sewage utility, providing water supply and wastewater services to millions of customers across São Paulo state. Directly comparable as a large-scale Brazilian water/sewage utility with similar regulated tariff model and municipal concession structure.
• Cedae: Companhia Estadual de Águas e Esgotos is the state water and sewage utility of Rio de Janeiro. Comparable as a large Brazilian state-level water utility operating treatment, distribution, and sewage networks under regulated tariffs.
• Casan: Companhia Catarinense de Águas e Saneamento is the water and sewage utility of Santa Catarina state. Comparable as a Brazilian regional water utility with similar operating model, customer mix, and regulatory oversight structure to Samae.
• Corsan: Companhia Riograndense de Saneamento is the state water utility of Rio Grande do Sul — the same state as Samae. Directly comparable in regulatory environment, customer base characteristics, and operating geography, though operating at state level rather than single-municipality.
• Embasa: Empresa Baiana de Águas e Saneamento is the state water and sewage utility of Bahia. Comparable as a Brazilian state-level public water utility with analogous operational scope (water treatment, distribution, sewage collection) and regulatory structure.
• Copasa: Companhia de Saneamento de Minas Gerais is the state water and sewage utility serving Minas Gerais. Directly comparable as a Brazilian state-level water/sewage operator with analogous tariff regulation, treatment infrastructure, and service portfolio.

Others

• Assemae: Associação Nacional dos Serviços Municipais de Saneamento is the national association of municipal sanitation services — the body in which Samae's president serves as 2nd Vice. Not a direct operator but a peer in the institutional/advocacy layer that shapes municipal sanitation policy in Brazil.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xwa.me/555432208600
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCmjjLaQjeoOHSz1_7ra3lCA
• Facebookfacebook.com/samaecaxias
• Instagraminstagram.com/samaecaxias
• TikToktiktok.com/@samaecaxiasdosul

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Samae