Chile’s plan to ration water

After 13 years of a grueling, record-breaking drought, Chile has unveiled an extraordinary water rationing plan for the city of Santiago, which is home to roughly 6 million people.

“A city can’t live without water,” Claudio Orrego, the governor of the Santiago metropolitan region, said in a press conference. “And we’re in an unprecedented situation in Santiago’s 491-year history where we have to prepare for there to not be enough water for everyone who lives here.”

1.7 million consumers will be subject to rotating 24-hour water cutbacks as part of a four-tier alert system that begins with public service announcements and progresses via pressure restrictions and rotating water restrictions from green to red.

Water levels in the Maipo and Mapocho rivers, which supply most of the capital’s water, have been steadily decreasing as the drought has progressed.

There has been a 10% to 37% decline in Chile’s water supply over the past 30 years, and the government expects this to continue for another 50 years.

Cuts will be made every 12, six, or four days, depending on the rivers’ litres per second deficit. Every day, a new area would be hit by water restrictions in each scenario.

“This is the first time in history that Santiago has a water rationing plan due to the severity of climate change,” Orrego said. “It’s important for citizens to understand that climate change is here to stay. It’s not just global, it’s local.”

The cutbacks will not apply to areas supplied by wells or any sources other than the two rivers.

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