This article is adapted from AQ’s latest issue on the politics of water in Latin America | Leer in español | Ler em português
In theory, Latin America really shouldn’t be facing a water crisis – it’s home to 30% of the world’s fresh water, and just 8% of its population.
But a scan of headlines around the region reveals a different, and rapidly changing, reality. Drought in Central America is a main reason for the exodus of migrants to the United States and elsewhere. Taps in and around Mexico City sometimes go dry for weeks at a time. High prices for water were a main rallying cry during violent protests in Chile in mid-October. Meanwhile, water is not just scarce but often of poor quality – less than 40% of wastewater in Latin America is treated, befouling the region’s lakes, rivers and oceans and imposing a huge cost to public health.
As the climate changes, many expect things to get worse. While water is indeed plentiful in the region, it is concentrated in areas like the Amazon and the glaciers of Patagonia, where few people live. Unfortunately, forecasters say the biggest risks are centered in precisely the biggest centers of population and economic activity, especially along and near the Pacific coast. According to The Nature Conservancy, 16 of Latin America’s 20 largest cities are now under water-related “stress,” and three are in danger of running out of water entirely: São Paulo, Lima and Mexico City.
For this issue of AQ, we sent journalists to those three cities to better understand what’s driving the crisis and explore realistic solutions. Why the emphasis on “realistic?” Because the most obvious solution – to spend billions of dollars retrofitting houses with pipes and building new treatment plants – is neither economically viable in an age of austerity nor a silver bullet. The bigger challenge lies in conserving and strengthening water sources themselves. So, the search is on for creative, cost-effective solutions that can make a difference.
Yes, they exist. From new technologies like solar-powered desalinization to centuries-old techniques borrowed from the Incas, there is reason for optimism. Recent progress in Medellín, perhaps Latin America’s biggest water success story, shows what’s possible when governments take the problem seriously, invest, and find innovative ways to bridge both geographic and class barriers.
More is needed. One executive we spoke to called it an “invisible crisis” – slow-moving, not always occupying the front pages, but sinister just the same. The biggest change may involve mentality – recognizing that even in the region of Iguazú Falls, the Perito Moreno glacier and Lake Atitlán, water can no longer be considered an abundant resource, but an increasingly endangered one.
Medellín’s Other Success Story: How the City Cleaned Up Its Water
Reading Time: 10 minutesInside the dramatic turnaround that made Colombia’s second city a model for water management.
Modern Lima Needs More Water. A Pre-Incan Technology Could Keep Taps On.
Reading Time: 5 minutesTo prevent a crisis in the future, Latin America’s largest desert city is looking to the past.
In Mexico City, a Black Market for Life’s Most Basic Commodity
Reading Time: 5 minutesScarcity is fueling an underground water market – and even theft – in the metropolis.
In Brazil, Two Corporate Giants, a Drought and an Unexpected Partnership
Reading Time: 3 minutesWhen a 250-year drought hit São Paulo, established rivals moved from competition to collaboration.
The Rush to Save Argentina’s Malbec
Reading Time: 2 minutesClimate change is making water scarce in wine country – putting the Argentine staple at risk.
How Latin America Manages Water
Reading Time: 2 minutesWith 30% of global freshwater resources, Latin America’s biggest challenge when it comes to water isn’t supply – it’s governance.
How to Stop Drought from Becoming Famine
Reading Time: 3 minutesThe former chief of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization on how agribusiness can preserve vital water resources.
How Chile’s Environment Policy Is Good for Fish, and for Business
Reading Time: 4 minutesThe country’s science-based approach shows fishing can be environmentally sustainable.
Four Strategies to Protect Latin America’s Water
Reading Time: 2 minutesIt’s not too late for the region to take action on climate change and its toll on water.
Oil, Sewage, Heavy Metals: The Pollution Plaguing Latin America’s Water
Reading Time: 3 minutesAQ looks at four rivers and one infamous bay that underscore Latin America’s water crisis.
