WASH News Latin America
News feed maintained by information specialists from IRC and partners.
Bolivia: Town in the Andes face crisis as glaciers melt
09 May 08
Experts warn that rising temperatures could melt most of Latin America’s glaciers by 2022, creating water shortages and social unrest.The effect of diminishing glaciers is most evident in El Alto, an indigenous community of 800,000 people perched above the Bolivian capital of La Paz. With the disappearance of glacial water supplies and a decrepit and [...]
Who Pays for Water? a case study of action learning in the islands of the Caribbean
29 Apr 08
Who Pays for Water? a case study of action learning in the islands of the CaribbeanSarah McIntosh, Nicole Leotaud, Duncan MacqueenKnowledge Management for Development Journal, Vol 4, No 1 (200 p. 42-58Full articleAbstractThis paper documents a case study of knowledge management and sharing in the Caribbean. The case study documents an action learning project [...]
IADB grants program: Innovation for Inclusive Development
16 Apr 08
The Science and Technology Division of the Inter-American Development Bank is pleased to announce the launch of its grants program: Innovation for Inclusive Development.The objective of the program is to foster the development and dissemination of innovations in products, processes and services and engender solutions with the potential of improving the quality of life of [...]
Brazil: new proposal seeks to assign joint responsibility for water and sanitation
15 Apr 08
Since 1998, Brazil’s supreme court has been discussing whether the state or city governments are responsible for urban water and sanitation. The future president of the supreme court, Gilmar Mendes, thinks he has the answer. He proposes that state governments should be given a 24-month deadline to design a joint sanitation plan with city [...]
Bolivia: new water minister calls for “vigorous” investments
15 Apr 08
Bolivia’s new water minister René Gonzalo Orellana assumed office with a call for “vigorous” investments to carry out sewerage and potable water projects. Orellana replaces Walter Valda who is running for election in Chuquisaca department. Orellana said that water will be one of the principle issues on the government agenda.Source: BNamericas.com [subscription site], 3 Apr [...]
Costa Rica: Only 3.5% of wastewater treated before discharged into rivers
15 Apr 08
Only 3.5% of Costa Rica’s wastewater is treated before being discharged into the country’s rivers, water utility AyA chairman Ricardo Sancho said. Costa Rica has only five operating wastewater treatment plants, which can only serve one-third of the population. The San Isidro treatment plant, in Choluteca municipality, has collapsed while Limón province only has [...]
Mexico: Conagua promotes US$14bn national water and sanitation plan
15 Apr 08
Mexican authorities are trying to attract foreign investment for their US$14bn national water and sanitation plan. The plan will reduce government spending on health care while upgrading the population’s living standards, said José Ramón Ardavín of the national water authority Conagua.Source: BNamericas.com [subscription site], 8 Apr 2008
Colombia: more than 800 municipalities risk losing access to water funding
15 Apr 08
Almost 80% of Colombia’s municipalities risk losing their participation in the Sistema General de Participaciones (SGP), or general revenue sharing system, according to Colombia’s public services regulator Superservicios. This is because they have either not transferred resources to the solidarity and income redistribution fund (FSRI) or they have failed to submit reports to the national [...]
Colombia: Government attracts pension fund investment in water, infrastructure projects
15 Apr 08
Colombian government authorities are promoting investment in infrastructure development projects among local pension funds, national planning department (DNP) head Carolina Rentería told BNamericas. Pension savings have increased tremendously over the last years and authorities see infrastructure initiatives, including drinking water and sanitation services, as attractive due to their long-term sustainability.Source: Eva Medalla, BNamericas.com [subscription site], [...]
Brazil: Lower house approves bills on water meters and sewage charges
15 Apr 08
Brazil’s lower house approved a bill proposal making household water meters obligatory in apartments and condominiums. Up till now water costs were based on total water use and divided equally between households.A second bill, submitted by the consumer defense committee, stipulating sewage service rates should not be more than half of that for potable water [...]
