Govt drawing up plans to build US$60mn El Alto dam

Bolivia's government is drawing up a project to build a large dam to boost the supply of potable water in El Alto city, La Paz department, budgeted at some US$60mn. The dam will use water collected from the Huayna Potosí, Condoriri and other snowcapped mountains to supply water to the city, as well as capital La Paz and surrounding rural neighborhoods, according to environment and water minister Mabel Monje. The dam will provide 800l/s of water, which will be used for drinking and irrigation. The dam will also have a hydroelectric component. The environment and water ministry ( MMAyA) has drawn up bidding rules to carry out feasibility studies for the dam, which will take eight months, according to a ministry release. The consultancy is budgeted at 4.82mn bolivianos (US$687,000). Bolivian authorities are in preliminary talks with the Japanese government regarding funding for the project, which is due to wrap up in four to five years, state news agency Andina reported.