Balsa Las Perlas residents escalate water access legal battle

Residents of Balsa Las Perlas have taken legal action to demand access to potable water, a struggle that has persisted for several years. Following a collective injunction filed with the Civil Court No. 1 of Cipolletti, Judge Diego De Vergilio ruled that the case must be handled as an execution mandate and referred the matter to the Superior Tribunal of Justice of Río Negro.

The claim, supported by 2,700 signatures, involves residents from 17 neighborhoods who report issues with water flow, pressure, supply shortages, and water quality. The legal action names the Municipality of Cipolletti, the Province of Río Negro, the Provincial Water Department (DPA), and Aguas Rionegrinas (ARSA) as defendants.

To address these structural issues, residents are requesting the construction of a water treatment plant, potentially including desalination or demineralization systems, as well as an expanded piping network, cisterns, and adequate pumping systems to serve the population.