Resumo

PICHARDO PAGAZA, Ignacio. Responsabilidades municipales en materia ambiental. Convergencia [online]. 2009, vol.16, n.49, pp.291-308. ISSN 2448-5799.

Counties and town councils (boroughs) have a direct, immediate and unavoidable responsibility towards the environment. A few years ago, they were not regarded as priority functions of the counties. Today they are not only a basic legal obligation, but a social commitment of the local government to the community. This paper is centered on the responsibilities that the Federal and Local Political Constitutions impose exclusively to boroughs and townships regarding public services. The way those services are delivered have a direct consequence on local environment. Drinking water, domestic drainage, waste disposal, wastewater treatment, hygiene and cleanliness of marketplaces and other services are today's challenges for the municipal authorities; if not attended in an efficient way they will have a negative direct impact on the quality of life of the community.

Palavras-chave : Political Constitution; municipal services; social responsibilities; environment; water and waste disposal.