Potosí declares water emergency amid drought and illegal sales allegations

The Potosí Municipal Council has approved Law 578, declaring a water emergency due to drought in the municipality. The law authorizes a budget exceeding 7.5 million bolivianos to mitigate water scarcity through measures such as drilling wells, rehabilitating water sources, constructing storage tanks, and acquiring distribution systems.

Simultaneously, the Potosí Mayor's Office is joining a criminal complaint regarding the alleged illegal extraction and sale of water from the Chaluma lagoons. Reports suggest that water cisterns, each with a 20,000-liter capacity, were being sold for between 1,000 and 1,200 bolivianos. These unauthorized trips were reportedly intended to supply private businesses, including mining operations.

The investigation aims to determine if the water extraction was legally authorized and to identify those responsible. While some community members have cited “customary uses” to justify the water use, authorities are working to establish the legal validity of these claims. The Autonomous Administration for Sanitary Works (Aapos) will manage the emergency response and the investigation into the irregular commercialization.