WASH News Latin America
News feed maintained by information specialists from IRC and partners.
Peru: cabinet council has 90 days to approve water management legislation
16 Jul 08
A legislative decree creating the new national water authority (ANA) must be approved by the Peruvian cabinet council in no more than 90 calendar days, starting from 28 June 2008. The ministries of agriculture, the environment, health, energy and mining, and housing, construction and sanitation will comprise ANA’s administrative board which will create policies and [...]
Brazil: Federal police launch investigation into possible PAC fraud
16 Jul 08
A police investigation found a criminal scheme to divert funds intended for the construction of low-income housing and sewage treatment plants in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. Following complaints published in the local press, an inspection conducted by the federal audit court TCU in 29 municipalities of Minas Gerais found evidence of fraud in [...]
Bolivia: Japan to invest US$ 3.5mn in water project
16 Jul 08
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) will invest US$3.5mn in the second phase of the water is life and health program in the rural areas of La Paz department. The project includes the use of groundwater in the rural areas of the Altiplano Sur region, in an effort to guarantee sustainable water supply.Source: BNamericas.com [subscription [...]
Venezuela: coal company to invest profits in potable water, health, education projects
16 Jul 08
Venezuelan state coal company Carbozulia has earmarked half of its 2008 profits, an estimated 64mn bolívares (US$29.8mn) according to company president Ovis Prieto, to improve health, education and potable water in the nearby cities of Mara and Páez. In 2009, Carbozulia plans to invest roughly 52mn bolívares in the same areas.Source: BNamericas [subscription site], 19 [...]
Dominican Republic: Indrhi signs agreement with Conagua (Mexico) to create national water law
16 Jul 08
The Dominican Republic’s national water resources institute (Indrhi) has signed a cooperation agreement with Mexican water authority Conagua to create the legal and institutional structure necessary to establish a national water law.Indrhi executive director Héctor Rodríguez Pimentel has visited Brazil and Mexico in search of experience and support for the establishment of his country’s water [...]
Venezuela: Government to install 125 solar powered potable water plants
16 Jul 08
Venezuela’s Fundelec, a foundation under supervision of the energy and oil ministry, which promotes nationwide electrification, is carrying out a programme to install solar powered potable water plants. A total of 60 plants (125 are planned) have already been installed, benefiting 59 communities and 14,820 inhabitants. The water plants are aimed at indigenous and isolated [...]
Nicaragua: World Banl Approves $20 Million to Improve Water and Sanitation in Rural Areas
16 Jul 08
The World Bank’s Board of Directors has approved a zero-interest credit for $20 million to support the government of Nicaragua to improve water and sanitation services in rural areas.The Nicaragua Rural Water and Sanitation Project seeks to increase access by project beneficiaries to sustainable water and sanitation services in rural areas and is aligned with [...]
Latin America: Water authorities create regional committee to finance water resource protection
16 Jul 08
Peru’s national sanitation authority Sunass and its Brazilian, Chilean and Colombian counterparts will form a regional committee to promote an additional charge in water rates to help finance projects that protect water resources, state news agency Andina reported.The committee will exchange best practices in the application of payment for environmental services (PES), to be charged [...]
Brazil: Sanitation is top priority for Rio’s new environment secretary
15 Jul 08
New Rio de Janeiro state environment secretary Marilene Ramos - who was due to take office on June 13, 2008 - said her main challenge is to structure sanitation in the state. “Our state has 60% of its sewage collected but only 25% of that gets some kind of treatment. The consequence is that our [...]
Haiti: World Bank Approves US$15.7 Million Grant for Urban Community-Driven Development
15 Jul 08
The World Bank has approved a US$15.7 million grant to Haiti for the Urban Community-Driven Development Project, which will provide basic infrastructure and social services for disadvantaged urban communities.This project will finance approximately 380 subprojects in 10 of the 17 “Priority Zones” identified by the Government of Haiti across five municipalities. The project will [...]
