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The water problem in Argentina
has been considered by a series of different analyses and reports as the
greatest environmental conflict in the country. The case of the
Municipality of Junín, in the Province of Buenos Aires, can be deemed a
prototype as it involves several questions due to problems related to
pollution, non-potable water, floods, as well as demand for access to this
resource. This project
elaborated a multi-phase and multi-disciplinary diagnosis of this issue in
the Municipality of Junín. It
can be perceived as the first input in terms of the integrated management
of this resource, in order to encourage participatory projects to
determine multiple use programmes for a natural resource shared by
different social actors. The
work consisted of a brief characterization of the region and its problems,
followed by a presentation of studies on water quality undertaken by the
Municipality and then studies on opinion and perception on water issues.
Finally, this work concludes with a legal and administrative
analysis of the issue.
General description of Junín
Junín is a medium-sized department located in
the Pampa area of the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
It holds the largest human settlement in that region.
This municipality, apart from the urban area and its small and
medium-sized industrial activities, algo conducts relevant agricultural
and cattle breeding activities. From
the ecological standpoint it is an area with key characteristics for large
scale agriculture, the so called Pampa Ondulada Alta of the wet pampa.
The district of Junín has about 85.000 inhabitants.
Water quality studies at the
Municipality of Junín
The objective of this part of
the study was to conduct a diagnosis on the quality of potable water
provided to the city of Junín. The
water provided to this city is ground water and the service comprises 22
wells that feed into the distribution network; some operate directly and
others through distribution tanks and storage tanks.
For this reason, the contribution of each point of the network will
include a combination of different water proportions coming from such
wells.
Regarding its
physical-chemical composition, the piped water of the Junín city
has a medium mineralization level.
Regarding the different physical and chemical parametres defined in
the case of potable water according to our legislation, and as a result of
data revealed by this work, there are certain traits that can be objected
such as insufficient concentration of free residual chlorine and the high
levels of arsenic, fluorine and nitrates.
It follows, therefore, that this is non potable water.
Social aspects and perception on water issues in
Junín
The different methodologies
used to measure social perception on water, point to the fact that the
civil society clearly identifies the problems.
Among other results, we may point out that 86% answered in the
affirmative to questions in this regard.
11% indicated that the issue is not a source of concern.
Floods are perceived as the most critical problem, as indicated by
79% of the answers. Pollution
of water sources is the second problem perceived by 64% of answers while
57% indicated that the lack of potable water supply was a difficulty they
experienced in Junín.
Several other conflicts were
identified in Junín in relation to the use of water.
To summarize, we can say that civil society in Junín has key
claims in relation to water as a resource, explicit claims and subliminal
claims. Several conflictive
situations are identified as the use in the region is multiple and even
potentially conflictive depending on the application.
Conflicts arise between those who pollute the resource and those
who use it, between those affected by floods and institutions in charge of
alleviating the impact, and between those who have no access to water
networks and the institutions in charge of supplying water.
The degradation of water quality imposes limitations in the use of
the resource as well as potential new conflict among users with rights
over this resource.
Legal and administrative analysis
The third part of the project
consited of a detailed and comprehensive analysis of legal and
administrative aspects related to the waters in the municipal territory of
the Province of Buenos Aires; specifically in relation to the Municipality
of Junín. It started with a survey and study on the current legislation
at the national, provincial and municipal levels.
In consequence, an intricate water control and management system is
observed, both at the national and provincial scales.
This kind of division, added to the weakness of provincial and/or
municipal control institutions, leads to a waste of efforts in law
enforcement and adds to the existing complexity.
In this regard, in the Province of Buenos Aires one may say there
is a thorough but complex legislation and its relation to the national
legislation may lead to varied interpretations.
Public
bodies created for the enforcement of legislation have neither management
capacity nor political-administrative relevance to guide social activities
in accordance with the aims set forth by the environmental regulations.
The lack of demand on the part of stakeholders, the administrative
overlaps and the difficulty of perceiving the environmental aspect during
trials and other legal activities, constitute some of the reasons why
there are no criteria for legal interpretation and the broad legal debate
with tangible social repercussions is not encouraged.
Punishment, economic charges, fines, taxes, etc., in some cases may
be insignificant or will not preclude action and are not enough to repair
damages. Furthermore, even though the issue seems complex and varied
there are no coordinating bodies to facilitate the implementation of
shared policies.
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