The Federal Water Council (COHIFE) declared that the so-called “Arsenic Map”, released by the Buenos Aires Institute of Technology (ITBA), “lacks scientific, methodological, and documentary conditions” to be used as a reference in the characterization of Argentina’s groundwater.
Risks of information without protocols
In its resolution, COHIFE stated that the publication of high-impact information in society without complying with protocols of sampling, preservation, traceability, field verification, analytical quality control, spatial representativeness, and scientific review can lead to erroneous conclusions and affect confidence in drinking water supply systems.
Provincial reactions
The ITBA report, based on more than 350 samples, warned of worrying contamination levels in provinces such as Tucumán, Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, Santiago del Estero, and La Pampa.
The publication prompted a reaction from the president of the Sociedad Aguas del Tucumán (SAT), Marcelo Caponio, who denied that the province is at risk and assured that local levels are within the parameters allowed by the National Food Code.
The role of COHIFE
The Federal Water Council is composed of the National State, the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, and all the provinces of the country, divided into six regions.
In the assembly held in Mendoza, the organization reaffirmed that the jurisdictions ensure that the water supplied to the population strictly complies with the values established in current regulations, verified through permanent control, monitoring, and treatment systems.
It also urged that any future publication related to parameters affecting public health, including the presence of arsenic, be conducted with strict adherence to national and international technical standards, ensuring transparency, methodological rigor, and responsible communication.
Arsenic: a threat to public health
The World Health Organization (WHO) included inorganic arsenic among the 10 most concerning substances for public health.
Prolonged exposure is linked to:
- Skin lesions.
- Cardiovascular diseases.
- Neuropathies.
- Diabetes.
- Various types of cancer.
Non-cancerous effects such as skin changes, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and cramps are also observed.
The safety limit set by the WHO is 10 ppb (parts per billion), although recent research has detected adverse effects at even lower concentrations. Above 50 ppb, the warning is clear: do not use the water for consumption or cooking.
Open debate on water resource management
The controversy surrounding the “Arsenic Map” reflects the tension between the need to inform the population about environmental risks and the obligation to do so with scientific rigor.
While COHIFE insists that the distributed water complies with regulatory parameters, the ITBA report brought the discussion on the quality of groundwater and the importance of having reliable and verifiable data to the forefront.
The case of the “Arsenic Map” exposes the need to strengthen research and scientific communication protocols in public health matters.
The presence of arsenic in groundwater is a recognized international problem, but its approach requires solid data, transparency, and institutional coordination to avoid unjustified alarms and ensure confidence in drinking water supply systems.
