1966
Foundation
Foundation of Companhia Riograndense de Saneamento (Corsan)
The first public water supply systems in Rio Grande do Sul were created in the second half of the XIX century. It is the precursor stage of sanitation, beginning in Porto Alegre (1864), Rio Grande (1877) and Pelotas (1913).
The new stage would be marked by the fact that the state began working to solve sanitary problems through the creation of the Sanitation Committee linked to the Public Works Secretariat. Its purpose was to guide, coordinate and supervise the implementation of water and sewage systems by the municipalities. Sanitarian Saturnino de Brito was hired to work on several projects and conducted studies on water supply and sanitary sewage systems Dom Pedrito, Santa Maria, Uruguaiana, Alegrete, Itaqui, Jaguarão, Cachoeira do Sul and São Leopoldo.
In 1936, the former Sanitation Committee was transformed in the Sanitation and Urbanism Office of the Public Works Secretariat. For the first time, the municipal governments entered into partnerships that granted the state body direct responsibility for the expansion of existing systems or implementation of the service. As a result, state-level sanitation planning began by determining priorities, thus solving many critical water outage problems.
Companhia Riograndense de Saneamento was created on December 21, 1965, and officially installed on March 28, 1966, its official date of foundation. The Company took on the challenge of improving the quality of life of the population in Rio Grande do Sul. The image of the water bearer, who supplied the populations at the beginning of the center in a precarious way, has definitely become history.
Corsan currently serves around 6 million people, equivalent to two-thirds of the state’s population. It operates water supply systems in 317 municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul and, at the same time, sewage collection and treatment systems in 303 municipalities.
The Company’s milestones include:
1968
On September 13, in a ceremony at Palácio Piratini, seat of the State government, 52 municipalities entered into a water supply concession agreement with Corsan.
1973
Rio Grande – duplication of the treated water pipeline for the Cassino, Industrial Zone and Superporto, and the start of work on a dam on the Arroio Martins. The water catchment continues to be done from wells.
1974
Santa Maria – The expansion of the water system was inaugurated on January 29, with the construction of a new water treatment plant with a flow of 430 liters per second, which, added to the production of the existing water treatment facility, raises total production to 600 liters per second. The distribution network reaches 221,865 meters in length to serve 111,380 inhabitants, which corresponds to 75% of the municipality’s population. Eight reservoirs with a total capacity of 14,700 m3 were built up, and the water catchment at the Ibicuí River was also expanded.
1982
Triunfo – Sitel starts operating, being responsible for treatment, monitoring and releasing of industrial and sanitary liquid effluents industrial and sanitary from Triunfo Petrochemical Complex.
Cachoeirinha/Gravataí Water treatment plant in Cachoeirinha, which also serves Gravataí, is expanded to process up to 520 liters per second. A 1,500 meter pipeline was also inaugurated.
1984
Bento Gonçalves – completion of the Burati dam. With a maximum height of 15 meters, total length of 73 meters and a concrete volume of 4,500 meters, it has an accumulation capacity of 3 million cubic meters, with 80 hectares of flooded area. The work was inaugurated on December 13th by Governor Jair Soares, Secretary of Public Works, Luiz Gonzaga Fagundes and President-Director Edson Molina Belo.
1987
Santa Maria – Regional Coordination was installed, being the company’s first experience towards descentralization.
1991
Caçapava do Sul – inauguration of the expansion of the Arroio Fonte do Mato dam, which increased to 202,800 m3 in volume. With the investment, the water treatment plant production went from 40 to 100 liters per second.
1998
Wastewater treatment plant was inaugurated on April 7th.
2000
Santa Cruz do Sul – Lago Dourado was inaugurated on September 26. The work allows the accumulation of more than 3 million m3, which guarantees the supply for more than six months without rain.
Canoas – A reservoir with capacity of 2.250 m3 was inaugurated on October 10th in Guajuviras region. With an investment of R$ 300 thousand, the work benefited more than 60 thousand people. On October 20th, a reservoir with capacity of 3.000 m3 was inaugurated in Coxilha do Abílio. The work benefited 50 thousand people in the neighborhoods of Bela Vista, Ideal, Estância Velha, Olaria, Rincão Gaúcho.
2005
Bento Gonçalves – São Miguel Dam is inaugurated on July 2nd alongside the expansion of the water supply system.
2006
Change to Corsan’s total capital
Sale of 150,000,000 registered preferred shares issued by the Company for a fixed and restated price of R$210,000,000.00 to Caixa de Administração da Dívida Pública Estadual S/A (CADIP). The Rio Grande do Sul state, which held 97.54% of the total capital, now holds 60.72% of it. The state continued holding 99.99% of the voting capital. After this transaction, the shareholder CADIP, which held 3.34% of Corsan’s total capital, now holds 39.28% of the total capital and no common shares.
2009
Change to Corsan’s total capital
In December 2009, CADIP transferred 125,662,000 registered preferred shares issued by the Company to the Rio Grande do Sul state, corresponding to two hundred and sixty-eight million, nine hundred and sixteen thousand, six hundred and eighty reais (R$268,916,680.00), with a unit share price of two reais and fourteen centavos (R$2.14).
Accordingly, the Rio Grande do Sul state, which held 60.72% of total capital, now holds 91.57% of it. The state continued holding 99.99% of the voting capital. After this transaction, the shareholder CADIP, which held 39.28% of Corsan’s total capital, now holds 8.43% of the total capital and no common shares.
2010
Change to the shareholding structure
In December 2011, CADIP transferred 34,338,000 registered preferred shares issued by the Company to the Rio Grande do Sul state, the controlling shareholder of Corsan. As a result of this transaction, the Rio Grande do Sul state, which held 91.57% of the total capital, now holds 99.99%. After this transaction, CADIP, which held 8.43% of Corsan’s total capital, is no longer a Company shareholder.
2021
Beginning of the Privatization Process and Initial Public Offering (IPO)
The Rio Grande do Sul State Government, controlling shareholder of Corsan, announced the decision to begin the Company’s privatization process via Initial Public Offering (IPO) with subsequent loss of controlling powers. Bill 211/2021 – which authorizes the Executive Power to take measures in favor of Corsan’s privitization – received Parlamentary approval on August 31st, and was signed into State Law no. 15,708/2021 on September 17th.
2022
Restructuring of Privitization Process
In July 2022, the State Government of Rio Grande do Sul announced that it would not file an appeal against the Court of Auditor’s decision determining the suspension of its Initial Public Offering (IPO).
Following this decision, the State Government reassured the public it would continue to pursue Corsan’s privitization until the end of 2022 – this time offering 100% of the shares owned by the State.