Works on the universal sanitation plan will begin in September
The Government announced that the works for the universal sanitation project in 16 towns in Uruguay will begin in September, after signing the contract with the consortium of construction companies. The service, which will be installed in a total of 61 sites located in departments in the interior of the country, represents an improvement in the quality of life of 160,000 inhabitants and will generate more than 2,500 jobs.
The announcement was made at the Executive Tower by the Secretary of the Presidency, Rodrigo Ferrés, and the Deputy Secretary, Mariana Cabrera, who were accompanied by the Minister of the Environment, Robert Bouvier; the President of OSE, Raúl Montero, and the Vice President of that organization, Susana Montaner.
In his speech, Ferrés reported that the Government signed the contract for the universal sanitation project with the companies SACEEM, CIEMSA, TEYMA, and FAST.
It is the largest investment project in the history of OSE, with some 400,000,000 dollars, and will cover 820 kilometers of sewage networks in 61 localities. In addition, more than 57,000 connections will be made in homes and 43 structural plants will be created, which will benefit more than 160,000 people, he explained.
Bouvier, meanwhile, highlighted the sustainability of the project and assured that the Government considered, through environmental policies, a “more unprotected” population, which will be able to access the sanitary sewage service. “For the first time, the Executive Branch will financially support OSE infrastructure works,” which will generate more than 2,500 jobs, he stressed.
Montero added that work will begin in September in 16 localities, and 8 months later, more sites will be incorporated into the project. In Uruguay, only 50% of the housing units are connected to the sewer system, but that figure will rise to just over 70% with this plan, he said.
He also said that this service is of vital importance for health, and that the country will therefore strengthen its “great shield” against waterborne diseases.
