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Thursday, January 14, 2010
Today's News Headlines
* New potable water system to start operating in Bahía Blanca by April - Argentina
* International aid pours in following earthquake, airport shut down - Haiti
* World Bank approves grant to combat glacial melting - Peru
* Roundup: Santa Fe potable water, drainage works - Argentina
* Sanepar to invest US$1bn - Brazil
* MOP inaugurates US$7mn rainwater drainage system - Chile
* Three bidding for Sasanta potable water project feasibility study - Bolivia
* Minag completes irrigation works in Huancavelica - Peru
* IN BRIEF Anglo American, Aguas Antofagasta aim to settle dispute through arbitration - Chile
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* New potable water system to start operating in Bahía Blanca by April - Argentina
Argentine Bahía Blanca municipality in Buenos Aires province expects to have a new potable water system operating by April, a municipal government official told BNamericas.
The municipality and provincial water utility Aguas Bonaerenses (ABSA) signed agreements with several local firms to build the 14mn-peso (US$3.69mn) network to facilitate water distribution throughout the city. Construction is expected to start in 15 days.
"Since the involved firms use an important amount of water in their manufacturing processes, they will help finance the project which will increase water supply in Bahía Blanca," the official said.
The following firms are involved in the initiative: Argentine petrochemical company Polisur; local ammonia and urea producer Profértil; Solvay Indupa, the local subsidiary of Belgian chemical group Solvay; Dow Argentina; local grain processor Cargill; Petrobras Energía; and Transportadora de Gas del Sur (TGS).
The system will start at the Napostá Grande river and run up to the Patagonia potable water plant. It will have the capacity to transport 1000m3 of water per hour.
The Buenos Aires province has been suffering the effects of a prolonged drought.
By Indiana Corrales
Business News Americas
* International aid pours in following earthquake, airport shut down - Haiti
A 7.0-magnitude earthquake that shook the Haitian capital city Port-au-Prince on January 12 has devastated the city and caused widespread damage to buildings, houses, roads and bridges.
It is still too soon to estimate the extent of the damage or the number of people affected, but reports fear the death toll might be in the thousands.
In response, countries and international entities are offering humanitarian aid and financial support. IDB has approved a US$200,000 grant for emergency assistance.
"We are monitoring these events very closely and stand ready to help Haiti address this catastrophe. In coordination with the Haitian government, we will redirect our uncommitted portfolio to provide additional reconstruction resources at this moment of dire need," IDB president Luis Alberto Moreno said in a statement.
"We are working with other donors to exchange information and coordinate response activities. The IDB and its staff express their solidarity with the people of Haiti."
The IDB resources will be used to provide food, potable water, medicines and temporary shelter to the victims.
At the same time, the World Bank, whose local offices were destroyed by the earthquake, is ready to mobilize a team to help assess damage and losses and plan recovery and reconstruction.
"The bank stands ready to help with financial assistance," World Bank president Robert Zoellick said in a release.
European countries such as the UK, Spain, Germany and France have pledged their support and assistance. Other countries including Mexico, Canada, the US, Venezuela, Panama and the Dominican Republic have also guaranteed humanitarian aid.
Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere and has suffered a number of recent natural disasters, including four hurricanes and storms in 2008 that killed hundreds.
AIRPORT ACCESS
Port-au-Prince international airport suspended operations after the earthquake, a Caribair airline official told BNamericas.
"The airport's control tower is badly damaged and only private flights are travelling to the island," the official said.
Caribair, one of the main carriers operating between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, has cancelled all commercial operations and is currently only operating private flights.
Other airlines, such as like American, Spirit and Delta, have also cancelled their flights, according to reports.
In the meantime, people are travelling to the Dominican Republic and trying to get to Haiti by bus.
The resumption of operations at the Port-au-Prince airport is critical to the aid effort.
By Indiana Corrales
Business News Americas
* World Bank approves grant to combat glacial melting - Peru
The World Bank has approved a grant of US$450,000 for a program to help mitigate the negative effects of glacial melting in Peru's tropical Andean region, the bank said in a release.
Specifically, the new funding will be used to gather scientific information on the impact of glacial melting in high mountain Andean areas, bank spokesperson Sandra Arzubiaga told BNamericas.
"We need to be able to understand the behavior and effects of climate change in these high mountain zones, which are very important for cities as they provide water and have a series of environmental functions," Arzubiaga said.
The donation will complement a US$7.49mn grant that was approved for the program by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in 2006.
This initiative is being carried out in Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru by the Andean Community of Nations.
The project began in May 2006, and is scheduled for completion in September 2010, Arzubiaga said.
Andean glaciers, which supply 70mn people with water, have shrunk by 30% over the past three decades and are likely to disappear by 2030, according to data from IDB.
By Catherine Setterfield
Business News Americas
* Roundup: Santa Fe potable water, drainage works - Argentina
Authorities in Argentine province Santa Fe opened the financial bids for a well drilling project to be carried out in Villa Minetti municipality in 9 de Julio department, the local government reported in a release.
The awardee will drill up to 700m deep to search for water to be used for human and animal consumption.
The initiative has an official budget of 500,000 pesos (US$131,995). Three Argentine companies presented offers in the tender: Agua Drill presented two options of 614,661 pesos and 559,341 pesos; Pettarin Vaccarini Perforaciones presented a bid of 566,280 pesos; and La Motta offered to carry out the work for 634,274 pesos.
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Santa Fe province's water, public services and environment ministry is carrying out maintenance works on María Teresa's drainage network in General López department, the provincial government reported.
The objective is to reduce and prevent the risk of flooding in vulnerable areas along the 2.6km drainage channel.
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Also in Santa Fe, the government opened economic bids for a project to expand and reorganize the drainage system in Serodino municipality, in Iriondo department, the government reported.
The initiative has an official budget of 1.07mn pesos (US$291,943) and a one-year deadline.
Three Argentine firms presented offers: Inar Obras made a bid of 1.73mn pesos; Pilatti offered to carry out work for 1.80mn pesos; and Glikstein presented a 1.85mn-peso proposal.
Works include building channels and drainage networks, as well as carrying out maintenance on the existing sewerage system.
The project will benefit some 3,000 people in Serodino.
By Business News Americas staff reporters
* Sanepar to invest US$1bn - Brazil
Brazil's Paraná state water utility Sanepar has approved a 1.82bn-real (US$1.05bn) investment budget up to 2012.
The company plans to invest 540mn reais this year, 684mn reais in 2011 and 600mn reais in 2012, news service Agência Estado reported.
Sanepar supplies water services in 344 municipalities in Paraná state and one in Santa Catarina state.
The utility has operations in 623 cities and towns where it provides 100% potable water coverage to 8.8mn people and 58% sanitation coverage to 5.2mn people.
Sanepar operates 174 potable water treatment plants and 227 sewage treatment plants. Its entire network consists of 61,592km of pipelines.
By Business News Americas staff reporters
* MOP inaugurates US$7mn rainwater drainage system - Chile
Chile's public works (MOP) minister Sergio Bitar inaugurated Valdivia city's Phillipi rainwater drainage system in southern region XIV, the ministry reported in a release.
The project is part of the city's rainwater drainage master plan and required a 3.5bn-peso (US$7.1mn) investment.
The drainage system will directly benefit over 25,000 inhabitants whose homes are located in the city's lower areas which are often affected by floods. It will also prevent flooding on some of the city's road network.
MOP will begin the construction of the Catrico estuary, which is also part of the city's rainwater drainage master plan, in H2 this year.
The project will require a 2bn-peso investment and is expected to finish in 1Q12.
By Business News Americas staff reporters
* Three bidding for Sasanta potable water project feasibility study - Bolivia
Three firms have submitted offers to carry out a feasibility study for a potable water project in Bolivia's Chuquisaca department capital Sucre, the environment and water ministry reported.
The Sasanta-Yurubamba project involves building a potable water supply network to serve the city over the next 30 years.
Bids to carry out the study were submitted by German firms Pöyry Environment, Fichtner and Consulting Engineers Salzgitter (CES).
The ministry and local water and sewerage utility Elapas will evaluate offers and announce the awardee next month, the report said.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is providing US$7.1mn for the project, while the German government is offering 10mn euros (US$14.5mn). The feasibility studies will cost US$600,000.
The project will increase the potable water supply by some 162l/s, and will benefit 286,000 residents, the report said.
By Business News Americas staff reporters
* Minag completes irrigation works in Huancavelica - Peru
Peru's agriculture ministry (Minag) has completed work on irrigation channels in the city of Huancavelica, in the region of the same name.
The work, which was carried out in conjunction with the regional government, involved rehabilitating irrigation channels in 94 districts, according to government news agency Andina.
The project cost 10.8mn soles (US$3.7mn), and was carried out by local producers under the supervision of the local water administration and regional agriculture department.
Huancavelica's local government will now look for additional funds to channel waterways in the area, the report said.
By Business News Americas staff reporters
* IN BRIEF Anglo American, Aguas Antofagasta aim to settle dispute through arbitration - Chile
External arbitration has been called for to settle a dispute in Chile between multinational resource group Anglo American (LSE: AAL) and water utility Aguas Antofagasta, owned by the Luksic group that also controls copper producer Antofagasta Minerals.
The arbitration has been requested to settle affairs pending related to a water transport contract dated December 26, 2002, according to a statement by Aguas Antofagasta sent to Chile's securities regulator SVS.
By Business News Americas staff reporters
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In-deph interview
* "There is potential for dozens of sites to become CDMs at the moment"
Francisco Blanco
Latin America CDM project development manager
Biogas Technology
Mexico
http://www.bnamericas.com/interviews/waterandwaste/Francisco_Blanco_,Biogas_Technology,/169883880
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Main companies covered in today's news
* Superintendencia de Servicios Sanitarios
http://www.bnamericas.com/company-profile/en/Superintendencia_de_Servicios_Sanitarios-SISS/169883880
* Japan International Cooperation Agency
http://www.bnamericas.com/company-profile/en/Japan_International_Cooperation_Agency-JICA/169883880
* The World Bank Group
http://www.bnamericas.com/company-profile/en/The_World_Bank_Group-World_Bank/169883880
* Petrobras Energía S.A.
http://www.bnamericas.com/company-profile/en/Petrobras_Energia_S,A,-Petrobras_Energia/169883880
* Servicio Autónomo Nacional de Acueductos y Alcantarillados
http://www.bnamericas.com/company-profile/en/Servicio_Autonomo_Nacional_de_Acueductos_y_Alcantarillados-SANAA/169883880
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