The state company increased the level of salinity of the water that altered its taste, but from the government they affirm that there is no risk to health.
The environment minister, Roberto Bouvierrecognized this Thursday that the water supplied by the National Administration of State Sanitary Works (OSE) “it is not drinkable”, although he pointed out that he did “it is drinkable and consumable”.
The state company increased the salinity levels in the mixture for the second time to make the reserves last longer, which are scarce as a result of the drought. “There is a very strict, very professional definition made by the Minister of Public Health (Karina Rando),” said the chief when asked about the potability of the water.
On this, in an interview with Radio Montecarlo, he replied: “Water is not drinkable in the perfect definition of potability, which are indicators, but it complies with strict measurements. Therefore, what we say is that the water is drinkable and consumable, since that is another definition.”
In addition, regarding the temporary dam project that OSE will build on the Santa Lucía River, Bouvier stated that from the environmental portfolio they are analyzing “give a quick paperwork” to the process to “find solutions” quickly to the lack of water reserves.
Lacalle Pou said that OSE tries to provide “the best possible quality” of water
President Luis Lacalle Pou also mentioned the problem of saltier water this Thursday and, at a press conference, stated that OSE “tries to provide water with the highest possible quality given the alternatives that are present today” in the country.
In addition, the head of state ruled out the idea of a change in the rates for the drinking water service. “Not for now,” he replied when asked if there would be any change in that regard.
What is the provisional dam that the government will build for US$ 500,000 about?
In the last few hours it was confirmed that OSE will provisionally and emergency build a dam on the Santa Lucía river due to the relentless drought, with an investment of $500,000 and an end date of one weekaccording to the president of the company, Raul Montero.
The project has the objective of “isolating a section of the Santa Lucia Riverdownstream of the dam running watersin order to manage it more efficiently”, affirmed the hierarch.
Source: Ambito
