Environment Minister Robert Bouvier and OSE Board Chairman Raul Montero gave a message of “tranquility” to the population in the face of water scarcity in some parts of the country and they ruled out the application of scheduled cuts in supply.
“We are facing a significant water deficit but we want to reassure that the situation is under control“, said Bouvier this Tuesday at a press conference after meeting, together with Montero, with the Secretary of the Presidency, Álvaro Delgado, and other authorities. The new minister also responded to the director of OSE for the Broad Front, Edgardo Ortuño, and said that his statements were “fatalistic.” Ortuño had said that there were only 10 days of water left for the Gold Coast.
The declaration of both hierarchs came hours after the vice president of the entity, Susana Montaner, handled the possibility that OSE made scheduled cuts. “We will be taking the measures according to the day to day. If we have to reach scheduled cuts, they will be made, scheduled and announcing the schedules”said the chief in an interview with Doble Click (Del Sol).
For now, however, this measure was ruled out by Bouvier and Montero.
As reported by Telemundo, the intention of the authorities is that this Wednesday the OSE Board of Directors enable the possibility of cutting off the water supply to those users who have an excessive consumption of this input, something that will be reflected in the invoice. In those cases, it will penalize the holder of the service with a fine of 2 readjustable units (just over $3,000 at current value), which once paid will allow the supply to be reinstated. It remains to determine what the sanction will be for those people who repeat the offense.
Bouvier also appealed to “citizen responsibility” to avoid supply problems. “OSE has issued statements that we urge you to comply with. It is an undoubtedly complex situation, citizens can collaborate and a lot, following all the OSE communications“added the minister.
In one of those communications, OSE conveyed that it decided prohibit the use of potable water for “non-priority” purposes such as irrigation, washing sidewalks and vehiclesamong others in Montevideo, part of Canelones and several cities in Lavalleja, Florida, San José, Colonia and Soriano.
Bouvier added that the entity has a contingency plan in case it does not rain in the next few days. And he pointed out that water is being diverted from the Río de la Plata to reinforce the supply to the metropolitan area and the Gold Coast, where the situation is most critical.
“The conclusion we reached is that the situation is under control. But we do also say that we have to have a responsible use of water,” insisted the chief.
Montero, for his part, assured that the Gold Coast, Minas and Nueva Helvecia are the “most complicated” locations in terms of potable water reserves. “In Laguna del Cisne when they say it will run out of water, it will not run out of water in ten days. It may be that in ten days we have problems to guarantee normal operation“He acknowledged, although he clarified that the entity is looking for alternatives.
