In the midst of the water deficit as a result of the worst drought that the country has experienced in the last 70 years, the government and opposition have spoken out on the issue in response to concerns about the lack of rain and the depletion of the reserves of the Paso dam Severino.
While the work progresses that will take water from the San José River to take it to the Santa Lucía River in order to avoid that it is only taken from the Río de la Plata, and There are different versions about when this work would be ready, government and opposition have crossed over responsibilities around the issue.
What did the main politicians say in the last days?
Lacalle Pou: “If it doesn’t rain, there will be a period in which the water is not drinkable”
“We are trying to manage the reserves we have as best as possible and doing a work that will take 30 days. What is the immediate question? How many days of drinking water are left and how many days will it take for the work? If it does not rain, it will There may be a period in which the water is not drinkable,” he assured this Thursday at a press conference in Nuevo Berlín (Río Negro).
Carolina Cosse: “We don’t have drinking water anymore”
“We no longer have drinking water, it cannot be classified as drinkable since the values of certain components such as sodium, chlorine, have skyrocketed several times above what is established by international regulations. To put it briefly, the value The sodium level set by international standards is 200 milligrams per liter. We are taking measurements at different points in Montevideo, where we have municipal health polyclinics, and it has been a long time since we have been at more than 440-450 milligrams per liter, which is a exception authorized by the Executive Power but beyond the exceptional authorizations we are absolutely out of the norm and now they are considering reaching 900 mg/liter. In other words, the water is not drinkable,” declared the mayor of Montevideo and pre-candidate of the Broad Front in interview with the program Dnews.
Camilo Dos Santos
Yamandu Orsi
Yamandú Orsi: “Today we are paying the cost of not making investments”
“Today we are paying the cost of not making investments (…) we all have some share of responsibility” “Beyond the Neptuno project, it is true that we cannot continue drinking water from a single source. We must seriously analyze the possibility of the Río de la Plata as a source,” said the mayor of Canelones and a front candidate for the MPP.
Diego Battiste
Laura Raffo
Laura Raffo: “For the first time in many years (this government) was the first to decide to invest in water issues”
“Politicians have to rise to the occasion and not politicize these issues,” said the National Party pre-candidate. She also stressed that “for the first time in many years (this government) was the first to decide to invest in issues of water”, he stated in reference to the Neptuno project and went on to say that this was “the first government that wanted to ensure that there was a second water intake source and a second drinking water treatment plant”. “I think it acted up to the circumstances”. , ended by making statements to the press at the departmental youth congress of the National Party (PN), according to La Diaria.
Fernando Pereira: “OSE has always run this game from behind”
“OSE has always run this game from behind,” said Pereira and said that since some measures began to be taken, there were positive effects but “they should have been taken before.” “This work on the San José river was on the OSE’s agenda weeks ago and they decided not to in order not to spend US$30 million. Now they are doing it but, according to our technical studies, it will take longer than what the government says,” he said. Pereira at a press conference after the meeting they held this Wednesday with President Lacalle Pou in Torre Ejecutiva.
Pablo Iturralde: “Pray a little to see if it rains”
“Could we have started earlier? Yes, we could have planned better but reality is what it is. Pray a little to see if it rains and try to find solutions that have not yet materialized,” he said days ago in an interview with Radio Monte Carlo. “Things can always be done better, all this has been on the table for years, the Broad Front was about to start it for fifteen years, at least it is taking the step,” he added.
