Southern Cone infra and water watch

Argentina

A preliminary agreement on US$50mn in financing from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development for the Santa Fe-Córdoba aqueduct could be signed next year.

Representatives from the fund are currently in talks with authorities of the Córdoba and Santa Fe provincial governments, as well as the federal administration, regarding funds for the project’s first stage, which is estimated to cost US$442mn, the Santa Fe government said in a release. 

The first stage would consist of a water intake at the Paraná River, a potable water treatment plant, 144km of main aqueducts and 345km of secondary networks, which would benefit 410,000 residents in the two provinces. 

Paraguay

Construction has started on a new hospital in the city of Coronel Oviedo (Caaguazú department), which is scheduled to be completed in 24 months.

The 151bn-guaraní (US$22mn) contract entails building a 20,000m2 complex with capacity for 186 beds, 20 of which will be ICU, and five operating theaters, among other features.

A separate tender will cover the hospital’s equipment, management and maintenance, and will be handled by the health ministry (MSPyBS), the public works ministry (MOPC) said in a press release. 

Chile

State port operator Empormontt will tender a new cruise terminal for the southern city of Puerto Montt (Los Lagos region) during the first half of January, while works could begin on the US$3.5mn project by March or April. 

The project spent two years being reviewed by the finance ministry’s budget office (Dipres), and will be located on the same site as the current terminal, which was planned as a temporary structure when it was opened 10 years ago, Carlos Geisse, presidential delegate to Los Lagos, told Vértice TV.

According to the project’s design, a digital rendering of which is pictured, drafted by architects Rodrigo Errázuriz Arquitectura, the new terminal would have 2,888m2, while authorities expect to have works finished by the start of the 2022-23 cruise season.