Clean Water for Neglected Community in Argentina

E-LAW U.S. helped win clean drinking water for residents of Chacras de la Merced. The city was required to provide temporary water tanks until pipelines could be built to connect homes to the city water system. Left to right: Juan Picolotti (CEDHA), local resident, and Meche Lu (E-LAW U.S.)

For years, families in Chacras de la Merced, a low-income community of 5,000 in central Argentina, suffered from chronic gastrointestinal disease. Their drinking water was contaminated by a failing sewage treatment plant. Today, they are drinking clean water.

E-LAW U.S. Environmental Research Scientist Meche Lu collaborated with local partners to bring clean water to Chacras. Meche traveled to Chacras in October and was overwhelmed by the community`s gratitude. One local doctor said: "This is a great relief to the community. The people are healthier and they feel more hopeful about their future."

Residents of Chacras complained for years about a sewage treatment plant that was built in the middle of their community. The plant needed maintenance, lacked capacity, and frequently discharged effluent into the Suquia River.

Wells along the river had been the community`s only source of water and many children and family members suffered from gastrointestinal illnesses.

Although families suspected that the failing sewage treatment plant was causing their problems, they did not have the scientific evidence to prove it. Lawyers at the Center For Human Rights and Environment (CEDHA) called on E-LAW U.S. to get what they needed to help the community – scientific evidence they could use in court.

In 2003, Meche traveled with CEDHA to Chacras. She took water samples from the local river and wells, had them evaluated at a lab, and proved the sewage plant was causing the disease that plagued the community.

With this information, CEDHA won a court order directing the municipality to immediately provide clean drinking water and upgrade the plant.

E-LAW U.S. congratulates its partners at CEDHA and commends local authorities for bringing clean water to Chacras de la Merced.