Uruguay is experiencing its worst water shortage in 74 years. Photo: breakinglatest.news
Uruguay is experiencing its worst water shortage in 74 years, affecting thousands of households and degrading water quality, according to Uruguayan officials. A school in Montevideo had to close early because of a lack of drinking water for students.
State-owned water supply company Obras Sanitarias del Estado (OSE) said water levels in the Paso Severino reservoir, which serves more than half of Uruguay's 3,5 million people, are at historic lows, at about 10% of capacity. The latest data shows that the reservoir now has only about 6,2 million cubic meters of water, much less than the monthly average of 3 million cubic meters. The capital Montevideo needs about 60 cubic meters of water per day.
Although it has also rained in recent days and is expected to rain later this week, the low rainfall is unlikely to change the situation, according to OSE. Meteorologists say 50mm of rain a day will be needed until next June to begin restoring the reservoir's water levels.
Due to the depletion of water at Uruguay's main reservoir, OSE in late April had to use an additional water supply from the Plate estuary, causing unusually high concentrations of sodium and chlorine in the water. The lack of water has angered residents and they plan to hold a protest in the capital Montevideo on May 4.
OSE company union president Federico Kreimerman blamed low rainfall, poor management of water supplies and lack of state investment as the reasons for the current water shortage in Uruguay. According to him, in addition to water for daily life, people also need water for irrigation of agriculture, livestock and forestry.
The office of the President of Uruguay said the authorities were evaluating measures, including the addition of a new water reservoir to reduce the salinity of drinking water.
Last year, low rainfall and high temperatures blanketed the southern part of South America, causing severe drought, affecting crops in grain-producing Argentina and damaging farms.
