Aguas Corrientes water plant groundbreaking led by President Orsi

President Yamandú Orsi has presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for a new water treatment plant in Aguas Corrientes, Canelones. The project represents a $215 million investment and is expected to take 24 months to complete, creating 450 jobs. Once operational, the plant will produce 200,000 cubic meters of potable water, covering approximately one-third of the consumption needs for the metropolitan area.

The infrastructure project includes a new raw water intake on the Santa Lucía River, a treatment plant, pumping systems, pipelines, and a 150-kilovolt electrical substation. This initiative is part of a broader $450 million metropolitan water works package. Other components include a $130 million investment in Casupá and $45 million in works for the Costa de Oro region.

This new plan follows the renegotiation of water infrastructure projects previously managed under the administration of Luis Lacalle Pou. The current government opted to expand infrastructure in Aguas Corrientes and build a second plant in eastern Canelones rather than proceeding with the Arazatí project, which had proposed a water intake in the Río de la Plata. While the government maintains this tripartite scheme will secure water supplies for Montevideo and surrounding areas, the shift has sparked political debate regarding water source diversification and environmental impacts.