Mexico: pollution of water resources is a matter of national security, CIRA project coordinator says

Contamination levels in Mexico’s water resources could be considered a matter of national security, project coordinator with the inter-American center for water resources CIRA, Carlos Díaz, told [news agency] BNamericas. According to [...] national water authority Conagua, over 95% of Mexico’s bodies of water are contaminated to some degree.

“Authorities have grown accustomed to taking water-related issues lightly. The strategies that have been implemented have been erratic and have not produced the expected results. Society needs to change its attitude, not just the government,” Díaz said. “Water resources are in a state of alert in two-thirds of the country [because] only a very low percentage of wastewater is treated, and existing treatment plants have very low levels of efficiency, [treated wastewater] is not reused adequately and the overuse of aquifers has increased greatly.

To combat the situation, CIRA is preparing a proposal for the integrated management of water resources in these basins, which Díaz is coordinating.

Source: Renzo Dasso, BNamericas [subscription site], 24 Feb 2009

Peru, Lima: Govt invests US$184mn to expand basic services

The Peruvian government has invested 600mn soles (US$184mn) to expand potable water and sewerage services to over 60% of Lima’s low-income neighborhoods, President Alan García said in a government release. By 2011, all of Lima’s citizens will have potable water services, the president added. The government is currently preparing the tenders to install potable water services in the city’s San Pedro and Lomas de Carabayllo areas, García said.

Source: BNamericas [subscription site], 26 Feb 2009

Trinidad & Tobago: EMA working with WASA to reduce pollution

Dr Joth Singh (EMA), presents T&T's first ever Water Pollution Permit to Carib Glassworks Ltd managing director, Roger Mew. Photo: Dilip Singh

Trinidad & Tobago’s Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA), quarry operators and petrochemical companies are the main water polluters in the country, managing director of the Environmental Management Authority (EMA), Joth Singh was quoted as saying by paper the Trinidad Guardian.  EMA and WASA are working to address this concern [and also plan to] work with petrochemical companies and quarry operators to reduce pollution.

EMA has implemented water pollution permits [or WPRs, which are valid for 5 years] to get companies to reduce both volumes and concentrations of pollutants discharged in their wastewater. [...] WPRs [are intended] to improve the overall quality of water in the nation’s rivers, swamps, aquifers and coastal areas.

Source: BNamericas [subscription site], 26 Feb 2009

Brazil: Espirito Santo Water and Coastal Pollution Management Project [Additional Financing]

WASHINGTON, February 24, 2009 -

The World Bank has approved a US$71.5 million IBRD loan for the  the Espirito Santo Water and Coastal Pollution Management Project. The project will provide improved quality of and access to water supply and sewerage services. Specifically it aims (a) to improve the efficiency of the water supply and sewerage systems of State Water Company of Espírito Santo (CESAN) by supporting its efforts to operate on a commercial basis with financial self-sufficiency; (b) to increase the coverage level of CESAN’s water supply and basic sanitation services (sewage collection, treatment and disposal) in the urban areas of the municipalities of the Metropolitan Region of Grande Vitória; and (c) to provide appropriate water and sanitation infrastructure in low-income urban areas of the municipalities of the Metropolitan Region of Grande Vitória.

For more information on this project go here

Source: World Bank, 24 Feb 2009

El Salvador: Anda investing US$4.4mn to minimize water losses

El Salvador’s national aqueduct and sewerage authority Anda will invest US$4.4mn to carry out a nationwide program to reduce water losses in the system, president Sigisfredo Ochoa told [news agency] BNamericas. The financing was provided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). “The main objective of the program is to minimize the percentage of unbilled water [currently 30%] across our entire potable water distribution system,” Ochoa said.

Ochoa said [the] high percentage of water losses [was due] to leaks in the network and [...] delinquent accounts [through] illegal connections. [...] Another important factor in the equation is Anda’s energy consumption, which uses water to produce electricity to operate the system, Ochoa said. This water cannot be billed as it is for internal operations.

Source: Renzo Dasso, BNamericas [subscription site], 23 Feb 2009

Latin America: IDB launches $600 million credit facility for natural disaster emergencies

A new Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) $600 million contingent credit facility will be available to help countries in Latin America and the Caribbean better cope with natural disasters.

[...] All member countries will be eligible to receive facility loans of up to $100 million or 1% of their gross domestic product, whichever is less. Countries are required to have an adequate integrated disaster risk management program.

The integrated disaster risk management program should include measures on risk analysis, prevention, mitigation, emergency preparedness and disaster response, as well as provisions for adequate and sustainable financing of the remaining risks, and should be executable in a period of no more than five years.

[...]

Earthquakes, floods and landslides, drought, tornadoes and volcanic eruptions are some of the natural disasters Latin America and the Caribbean must deal with on a regular basis.

The funds could be used to repair and rebuild damaged roads and bridges, potable water and sewage facilities, and electric power and gas networks, among others.

Source: IDB, 19 Feb 2009 ; BNamericas [subscription site], 19 Feb 2009

Brazil, Minas Gerais: Copanor to carry out US$232mn of sanitation projects

Brazil’s Minas Gerais state governor Aécio Neves has approved 545mn reais (US$232mn) for sanitation projects in 463 locations [benefiting] 400,000 people [in 92 towns]. Copanor, a subsidiary of state water utility Copasa, will implement the projects.

Copanor was created by the state government in August 2007 to provide water supply and sewage treatment services with lower rates than those charged in the rest of the state. About 70% of the population served by Copanor paid 60% less on their monthly bills than those under Copasa.

The company serves towns and villages with 200-5,000 people. The Jequitinhonha, Mucuri and São Mateus regions have the lowest human development index and the most severe shortage of sanitation services in the state [with water supply coverage rates of 65% in urban areas and 31% in rural areas and sewerage coverage rates of]  39% and 12%, respectively. Only 48% of garbage is collected overall.

Between 2008 and 2010, Copanor and Copasa will provide 1bn reais [US$ 420 million = € 328 million] in discount vouchers for the Jequitinhonha, Mucuri, Itanhém, Buranhém and Jucuruçu areas.

Source: BNamericas [subscription site], 19 Feb 2009

Guyana: Govt, GWI undertaking projects to improve water, sanitation

The Guyanese government and national service provider Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) are carrying out several projects under the Hinterland Water Strategy aimed at improving access to safe water and sanitation for inland communities, government information agency GINA reported on its website.

The objective is to improve services to some depressed communities and to ensure safe water for 80% of surrounding settlements. The measures include installation of a solar well to provide potable water in Kartabo, in region seven, [where mining activities have polluted the] Cuyuni river.

The program is expected to expand to several other communities in the region. [...] Additionally, a new water treatment plant was built at Bartica for G$480mn (US$2.34mn), [which will serve] over 10,000 people.

Source: BNamericas [subscription site], 19 Feb 2009

Mexico, DF: potable water tariffs, subsidies must be revised, says expert

Part of the potable water supply shortages Mexico’s federal district (DF) currently faces are attributable to the uncompetitive tariffs charged by local utilities, Universidad Interamericana (UIA) specialist Gloria Soto told BNamericas.

“Tariffs and subsidies for the potable water service in the DF must be revised. The DF has the cheapest distribution service in the entire country, as well as many cities in Latin America and the rest of the world,” Soto said. ”Currently, the tariff for distributing 1m3 of water in the DF is roughly two pesos [US$0.13] [while] the real cost of doing this is around 13 pesos,” she added.

Soto said that, as a result, the public does not have an incentive to be more conscious about its consumption habits and save water.  [...]  ”In many cases, public funds go to subsidize the consumption of middle and high-income homes that do not need this help,” according to the academic. ”Some private investors have voiced their interest in participating in the distribution of potable water [but increasing tariffs] has encountered much political controversy in Mexico City.”

Source: Renzo Dasso, BNamericas [subscription site], 19 Feb 2009

Brazil, São Paulo: State secretary signs Água Limpa agreements with 10 towns

São Paulo state sanitation and energy secretary Dilma Pena has signed 18mn reais (US$7.7mn) worth of Água Limpa or clean water program agreements with 10 towns, according to a state government report. The Água Limpa program is geared towards towns and cities in São Paulo state with less than 50,000 people and which are not served by state water utility Sabesp. The agreements for the 10 towns include removal and treatment of sewage that will benefit approximately 140,000 people.

[...] “Our goal is that every town in the state, no matter the size, has 100% sanitation service, which means everyone should have drinking water, and collection and treatment of sewage,” Pena was quoted as saying.

[...] Água Limpa was established by the state government in 2005 together with the departments of sanitation and energy, and health. So far, 99 towns and cities have been included in the program, 53 with completed projects and 44 with works in progress, the report said. Overall, 78.5mn reais have been spent, benefiting 1.2mn people.

Source: BNamericas [subscription site], 18 Feb 2009