✅ Bolivia raciona el agua en varias ciudades debido a una severa sequía

Amidst a severe drought, especially in the Andean region, which experts attribute to climate change, the authorities in Bolivia have started water rationing in several cities across the country.

In Potosí, about 410 kilometers south of La Paz, water tankers distribute water in the upper neighborhoods due to the low level of reservoirs caused by the lack of rain, Luisa Huanca, Public Relations Officer of the supplying company, told The Associated Press on Friday.

«Starting from September 15, there will be water rationing throughout the city, with water every other day,» she added. The authorities have declared a state of emergency to ensure faster intervention from the central government.

The drought has forced the suspension of water supply to the mining activity in Potosí. «We will prioritize human consumption,» said Carlos Chumacero, the manager of the water supply company, to radio Erbol.

According to the Vice Ministry of Social Defense, 290 out of the total 340 municipalities in the country are in a state of emergency due to the scarcity of water for human consumption and livestock, especially in the highland and Andean valleys region.

In La Paz, there is no water rationing, but a campaign to raise awareness about water usage has been initiated to prevent a decrease in water levels, as occurred in 2016 when water had to be rationed.

Meanwhile, in rural areas where crops used to grow, the land is dry. Even Lake Titicaca, the largest lake in South America, is experiencing a drastic decline in its water levels, impacting thousands of Aymara indigenous people who rely on agriculture and fishing in Bolivia and Peru.

Other affected regions in the Andean zone include the cities of Oruro and the towns surrounding Sucre, where there is also water rationing.

«Municipalities need to implement a policy of efficient water usage,» mentioned Bernardo Nina Rosso, the Vice Minister of Potable Water.

The authorities in the sector fear that the El Niño climate phenomenon – which causes progressive warming of the Pacific Ocean and leads to intense rainfall and flooding in some areas and droughts and subsequent forest fires in others – may be stronger this time.

«We are already expecting a super El Niño, and we need to conserve water,» said Eduardo Galindo, the Secretary of the Environment for the municipality of La Paz.

A significant portion of Bolivian cities rely on rainfall, which has become increasingly scarce in recent years.