The town of Camarones in Chubut faces a water crisis that has persisted for decades and has never been resolved. The water supply operates under a regime of scheduled cuts, forcing residents to organize their daily lives around irregular schedules.
The situation worsened with the start of hake prospecting, which increased industrial demand and generated social and political tensions.
A town divided by the schedule
Access to water is not a guaranteed right but a daily survival exercise. The supply is divided into two shifts: one half of the town receives water in the morning and the other in the afternoon, in four-hour blocks that are rarely adhered to.
- Large families and vulnerable sectors suffer more from the irregularity.
- The Islas Blancas neighborhood depends on a municipal tanker truck that delivers between 1,000 and 2,000 liters weekly, although the transport is not authorized for human consumption.
- Sectors with more resources can buy mineral water or pay for extra deliveries, deepening the social gap.
The pressure of the fishing industry
The fishing activity is the largest consumer of fresh water in the region. With hake prospecting, residents fear that the resource will be prioritized for processing plants.
- In 2022, the combined consumption of the port and plants equaled half the volume pumped from local aquifers.
- Residents denounce a lack of control over large consumers.
- A plant within the municipal jurisdiction causes discomfort due to the inadequate treatment of its effluents.
Health risk and data opacity
The potability of water is one of the most critical complaints. The system is fed by two aquifers:
- La Lochiel, suspected of high arsenic levels.
- Paso de Piedras, with indications of high salinity.
Despite formal requests supported by Law I-156 on public information access, the municipality has refused to publish the results of quality analyses. Residents suspect that the water is not potable and demand transparency.
Poor management and lack of participation
The water crisis is also a management crisis. Problems include:
- Obsolete pipe network with massive losses.
- Low aquifer recharge due to climate change.
- Lack of responsible consumption policies.
Residents criticize that the municipality does not set an example: it does not collect rainwater or use drip irrigation in green spaces.
Civic demands
A group of self-organized residents submitted a formal note to the municipality demanding:
- Transparency in water quality.
- Effective control over industrial use.
- Creation of a participatory commission to decide on the resource.
The water crisis in Camarones exposes the tension between domestic and industrial consumption, and the lack of clear policies to guarantee a basic right. The residents’ demand aims to break the inertia and build a participatory management that ensures safe and sufficient water for everyone.
