The drinking water authorities in Uruguay are promoting an ambitious water infrastructure project while the country goes through the summer season with below-average rainfall.
The plan aims to ensure supply for 70% of the population until 2045.
“Until 2022-2023 we all took for granted that we would have drinking water, now I think we understand that it is not something given for eternity if this resource is not worked on and cared for,” explained Pablo Ferreri, president of Obras Sanitarias del Estado (OSE).
The initiative arises after the worst water crisis in the history of the South American country, when a prolonged drought almost depleted the freshwater reserves that supply Montevideo and the metropolitan area.
The largest investment plan to provide drinking water to Uruguay
“Uruguay has a lag in drinking water infrastructure,” acknowledged Ferreri. The mandate of President Yamandú Orsi establishes building the necessary works to guarantee supply in the metropolitan area and the Costa de Oro.
“OSE has never had an investment plan as large as it has in this period,” highlighted the official. Just the Casupá dam will require an investment of 130 million dollars.
The infrastructure to meet the demand of 2045
The project includes a set of strategic works that will transform the supply system:
- Casupá dam: storage capacity of 118 million cubic meters
- New drinking water plant in Aguas Corrientes: production of 200,000 cubic meters daily
- New pumping line: to serve the east of Montevideo and Canelones
- Plant and dam in Solís Chico stream: supply for the Costa de Oro
The new plant will add to the 650,000 cubic meters currently produced by Aguas Corrientes.
“That will allow us to meet the demand of 2045, which is estimated at 840,000 cubic meters daily,” assured Ferreri.
Preventive measures while works progress
The construction of the Casupá dam will be completed by mid-2029 and could take up to a year to fill. Meanwhile, OSE implemented preventive measures from December 30.
The company urged the population to make a “responsible use” of water. Recommendations include using water rationally for vehicle washing, minimizing the filling of pools, and using washing machines and dishwashers moderately.
“For now we are experiencing rainfall clearly below average, but we are not in a situation like 2022 or 2023, not even close,” evaluated Ferreri.
A positive sign is that the country has 84% of the available reserves in Paso Severino.
The drought protocol: learning from the crisis
One of the main lessons from the water crisis was to establish a water management protocol.
This mechanism provides for periodic meetings between OSE, the Ministry of Environment, and the Uruguayan Institute of Meteorology.
“Unlike past times, today the country has a drought protocol,” valued Ferreri.
The official preferred not to detail the measures that would be adopted in the event of a new emergency, although he acknowledged that some actions from the past were correct.
During the previous crisis, the government of Luis Lacalle Pou increased the maximum allowed values of chloride and sodium in drinking water: 720 milligrams and 440 milligrams respectively per liter.
The infrastructure project represents a paradigm shift for Uruguay in terms of drinking water management, with works that will guarantee supply for the next two decades.
