# Law No. 6050 of May 24, 1974

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105659876](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105659876)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-6050-of-may-24-1974

## FAQs

**What is the main purpose of Law No. 6050/1974?**
The law mandates water fluoridation in Brazil's public supply systems, specifically where water treatment stations exist. It sets requirements for the construction, expansion, and operation of such systems to include fluoridation.

**Who signed Law No. 6050 into effect?**
President Ernesto Geisel, then head of the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, approved and promulgated the law on May 24, 1974.

**Where does this law apply?**
This is a federal Brazilian law and applies to the entire Federative Republic of Brazil, covering all public water supply systems nationwide that have treatment stations.

**What technical areas does the law address?**
The law's provisions cover multiple aspects including construction, project planning (projeto), expansion (ampliação), application, design requirements (requisitos), and the mandatory nature (obrigatoriedade) of fluoridation in applicable systems.

**Is the full text of the law available online?**
Yes, the official text is available through the Brazilian Presidency's legislative portal at the Planalto government website (ccivil_03/leis/l6050.htm).

## Why It Matters
Law No. 6050 of May 24, 1974 represents a significant federal intervention in Brazilian public health policy through sanitary infrastructure regulation. By mandating water fluoridation in treatment systems, the statute operationalizes a preventive health measure—fluoridation—that targets dental health at a population level rather than through individual medical interventions. This approach aligns with mid-20th century public health strategies in several countries that viewed centralized, infrastructure-based interventions as cost-effective ways to address widespread health concerns.

As a statute, this law serves as the formal written manifestation of a legal norm, creating binding obligations for water supply operators and municipal authorities. Its passage during the Geisel presidency (1974–1979) places it within Brazil's military dictatorship era, reflecting that regime's emphasis on infrastructure development, centralized planning, and technocratic governance even while political participation remained constrained. The law's focus on technical requirements—construction standards, design specifications, expansion protocols—demonstrates how the regime approached public health as an administrative and engineering challenge.

The statute's continued existence in Brazilian legal frameworks indicates its enduring relevance. It provides the legal foundation for water fluoridation programs that subsequent governments have maintained, and it establishes compliance benchmarks that health and sanitation authorities can enforce. As a federal law, it supersedes conflicting local regulations and ensures a uniform national standard for water treatment facilities. Its presence on the WikiProject Brazilian Laws focus list signals its recognition as a significant piece of Brazilian legislation worthy of documentation and study.

## Notable For
- **National Scope:** Applies uniformly across the entire Federative Republic of Brazil as federal legislation
- **Public Health Infrastructure:** Links water treatment infrastructure directly to preventive health outcomes through mandatory fluoridation
- **Historical Context:** Enacted during Brazil's military dictatorship under President Ernesto Geisel, reflecting that government's emphasis on infrastructure and technocratic public policy
- **Specific Trigger Condition:** Uniquely tied to the existence of water treatment stations ("quando existir estação de tratamento"), making it a conditional mandate tied to infrastructure capability
- **Comprehensive Regulatory Scope:** Addresses multiple stages of water system development—construction, planning, expansion, and operation
- **Ongoing Relevance:** Remains an active statute with a persistent legal identifier (URN) and maintained official online publication

## Body

### Legislative Identity and Classification
Law No. 6050 of May 24, 1974 (Lei nº 6050, de 24 de maio de 1974) is classified as a **statute**—a formal written document that creates law within the Brazilian legal system. It exists as an instance of statutory law, embodying a legal norm promulgated by federal authority. The law's official Uniform Resource Name (URN) is `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1974-05-24;6050`, which serves as its persistent identifier in the LexML Brazil legal documentation system. The standard legal citation for this statute is "Lei nº 6050/1974."

### Subject Matter and Digest
The law's digest (official summary) states: "DISPÕE SOBRE A FLUORETAÇÃO DA AGUA EM SISTEMAS DE ABASTECIMENTO QUANDO EXISTIR ESTAÇÃO DE TRATAMENTO" (Provides for the fluoridation of water in supply systems when a treatment station exists). This establishes the conditional nature of the mandate: fluoridation is required specifically in systems that have water treatment infrastructure. The statute addresses the controlled addition of fluoride to public water supplies as a public health measure.

### Promulgation and Authority
The statute was promulgated on **May 24, 1974**, by the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**, with **Ernesto Geisel** serving as President. Geisel, who assumed the presidency in March 1974, signed this law early in his term. The act of promulgation took place in **Brasília**, Brazil's federal capital. The determination method recorded for this law is "promulgation," indicating formal declaration and publication as binding law.

### Scope and Regulatory Topics
The law's provisions span several technical and administrative areas related to water supply systems:
- **Construction (Construção):** Physical building and installation of fluoridation equipment and related infrastructure
- **Consent/Approval (Aprovação):** Authorization processes for fluoridation projects
- **Increase/Expansion (Ampliação):** Scaling up existing systems to include fluoridation capacity
- **Plan/Project (Projeto):** Design and engineering specifications for fluoridation systems
- **Application (Aplicação):** Operational procedures for fluoride addition
- **Design Requirements (Requisitos):** Technical standards and specifications
- **Obligation (Obrigatoriedade):** The mandatory nature of compliance where treatment stations exist

These categories indicate a comprehensive approach covering planning, construction, operation, and enforcement.

### Jurisdiction and Language
The law applies to the jurisdiction of **Brazil** as a federal statute. Its text is composed in **Brazilian Portuguese**, the official language of the Federative Republic of Brazil. As federal legislation, it creates binding obligations nationwide, superseding any state or municipal regulations that might conflict with its provisions. All public water supply systems in Brazil that include water treatment stations fall under its regulatory authority.

### Publication and Availability
The law was published with an official publication date of **May 24, 1974**, from **Brasília**. The full text is available online at the official Brazilian government portal maintained by the Presidency: `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/l6050.htm`. This digital availability ensures public access to the statute's complete provisions. The LexML Brazil system (lexml.gov.br) also maintains the law's official URN record.

### Institutional Context
Law No. 6050 exists within the broader framework of Brazilian statutory law. It is included on the focus list of **WikiProject Brazilian Laws**, indicating recognition within knowledge organization systems as a significant piece of Brazilian legislation. The law's classification as a statute places it among formal legal documents that create binding legal norms, distinct from other legal instruments such as executive orders or by-laws while sharing their status as written legal authorities.

### Related Legal and Geographic Entities
- **Statute (class):** The broader category of formal written documents that create law, including acts, executive orders, and by-laws. Law No. 6050 is a specific instance of this category.
- **Brazil:** The sovereign state (República Federativa do Brasil) within which this law holds jurisdiction. Brazil declared independence from Portugal on September 7, 1822, and has operated as a federal republic since the proclamation of the republic in 1889. The current constitution dates from October 5, 1988. Brazil is the fifth-largest country by area and sixth-most populous nation globally.
- **Ernesto Geisel:** The president who promulgated the law, serving from 1974 to 1979 during Brazil's military dictatorship period.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1974-05-24;6050)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=6050&ano=1974&data=24/05/1974&ato=a54k3YU5kenRVT56d)
3. LexML Brasil