The main objective of this paper was to evaluate the relation between the inequality of access to environmental sanitation services and household income. In addition to that, it was analyzed whether the inequality of access is influenced by other variables related to supply of services, mainly the political aspects. Three hypotheses were verified: (i) if there is a positive relation between the inequality of access to sanitation services and inequality of income; (ii) if this relation between inequality of access to sanitation services and per capita income is similar to the Kuznets Curve (KC); and (iii) if there is a Hierarchical selection of Policies (HSP) in these services. The results for the Brazilian cities in the years 1991 and 2000 suggest the existence of hierarchical selection in the three services considered, and the Kuznets Curve only in the water supply service.
environmental sanitation; Kuznets curve; hierarchical selection
