Bolivia sees wave of water emergencies as drought worsens

As local authorities in Bolivia declare water emergencies due to drought, the central government prepares to step up relief efforts.

The drought “will allow us to reflect and to adjust the departmental government’s budget,” Cochabamba governor Humberto Sánchez told a press conference after an emergency declaration on September 21.

Chuquisaca department declared an emergency last week, while the legislatures of Oruro and Potosí debated disaster declaration bills, according to local media.

Moreover, 71 municipalities had declared water emergencies or disasters by September 21, rural and agricultural development deputy minister Álvaro Mollinedo was quoted as saying by state news agency ABI.

“As national government, we are very concerned. We’re also visiting several regions at a national level. We will be visiting most of the affected municipalities and departments to collect information and take actions that are resilient to climate change later,” he said.

An emergency declaration is issued when a municipality or department reports damage to people, basic services, productive systems and other assets but has the resources to address the issues. A disaster is declared when an event and its aftermath surpass the local administration’s response capacity, according to civil defense department guidelines.  

Mollinedo said the national government has mechanisms to fund water projects related to climate change, such as the US$300mn PAR III program. 

The government invested 8.2bn bolivianos (US$1.2bn) since it started in November 2020, with 1.6bn bolivianos having been invested this year so far, environment minister Rubén Méndez told state broadcaster Bolivia TV earlier this month, adding that 834 water projects have been finished or are being built. 

In 2017, a major drought triggered water shortages that prompted protests and a national emergency declaration, as well as the dismissal of water officials.