The Areco River, a vital artery in our region
The Areco River is much more than a simple watercourse; it is a freshwater artery that flows from high areas towards the sea, a lake, or another river. As an essential part of the hydrological cycle, rivers shape the landscape, transport sediments, and are a corridor of biodiversity.
The Areco River, in particular, originates in the province of Buenos Aires, at the watershed with the basin of the Salado River. Its course, running from southwest to northeast, flows into the Baradero River, then joins the Paraná de las Palmas, and finally reaches the Río de la Plata. The basin of the Areco River is a resource shared by several municipalities: Salto, Carmen de Areco, San Andrés de Giles, Chacabuco, San Antonio de Areco, Zárate, Exaltación de la Cruz, and Baradero.
A warning sign in the water of the Areco River
My concern for the health of our river began in 2005. At the height of the Municipal Spa of Carmen de Areco, I noticed a white foam that caught my immediate attention. I suspected its origin was phosphates, a common component in detergents. To confirm my fears, in 2006, I financed a physicochemical analysis of water samples at the Soil, Water, and Vegetable Analysis Laboratory of the Soil Science Department at the Faculty of Agronomy of the UBA, led by Engineer Eduardo Vella.
The results were conclusive: one of the samples revealed a high phosphate content.
The silent damage of phosphates: eutrophication
Detergents not only produce visible foams, but they also add phosphates to the water, triggering a devastating process known as eutrophication. This phenomenon has a serious ecological impact:
- The presence of phosphates acts as a fertilizer for algae, causing their uncontrolled growth and reproduction.
- When this huge mass of algae dies, bacteria start a decomposition process that consumes massive amounts of dissolved oxygen in the water.
- The lack of oxygen is lethal for aquatic life in general. Fish and other organisms die, and the river loses its self-purification capacity.
As a result, the riverine ecosystem degrades, and the river becomes severely contaminated.
A concrete and overlooked proposal
Faced with this issue, I proposed a viable and ecological solution: the construction of two artificial wetlands. These systems would act as biological plugs in two channels that cross the city and flow directly into the river, thus minimizing the arrival of contaminants.
I presented this request during the administration of Mayor Marcelo A. Skansi (2008 – 2019) of the Nueva Alternativa Carmeña Neighborhood Party, and I continued to insist during the administration of Iván Villagrán (2020 – 2027) of the Frente de Todos Party. Unfortunately, neither they nor any other municipal official or politician paid attention to my request.
Why insist on artificial wetlands?
Artificial wetlands are an intelligent solution that mimics natural processes to treat wastewater. They use aquatic plants and biological processes to remove pollutants, organic load, and sediments before they reach water bodies like our river.
Their advantages are clear:
- Cost-Effectiveness: Compared to traditional treatment methods, their installation and maintenance costs are considerably lower.
- Natural Barrier: They act as an effective filter that prevents direct pollution of the water resource.
- Additional Environmental Benefits: Besides purifying water, they create valuable habitats for local fauna and help regulate the hydrological cycle.
Ultimately, artificial wetlands represent a promising and sustainable option to protect the Areco River and improve environmental management in Carmen de Areco.
An urgent call for responsibility to care for the Areco River
It is imperative that the current municipal management, or its successor, seriously assumes its responsibility to protect the environment. This involves reviewing their actions, developing training programs for municipal agents, and, with special emphasis, demanding that productive sectors comply with current regulations and laws. Companies must ensure that their operations do not pollute.
The fight against environmental problems is an emblematic battle against bureaucracy, corruption, and lack of management. But above all, it is a symbolic fight in favor of life.
Source: Cristián Frers – Higher Technician in Environmental Management and Higher Technician in Social Communication (Journalist).
