Roundup: ADA, Senagua, MVCS

The water authority (ADA) operating in Argentina's Buenos Aires province has issued fines totaling 38.7mn pesos (US$6.29mn) to companies that failed to comply with environmental standards regarding the contamination of water resources, according to a release from the province's infrastructure ministry.

The money from the fines in combination with other funds, totaling 50mn pesos, will be used to carry out a series of water and sanitation projects within the province.

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Ecuador has received the feasibility studies for the Piñán Tumbabiro multipurpose project from the Innovativa-Espe consultancy, according to a release from national water authority Senagua.

The studies looked at the ideal location to carry out the project, the distribution sites for irrigation, human consumption and electrification as well as other details.

The Tumbabiro project envisions a dam with capacity to store 112,200m3, to be located 20km northeast of Ibarra city in the northern Imbabura province. Water will be collected from the Piñán and Pantavi rivers.

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Peru's housing, construction and sanitation ministry (MVCS) has published the rules for a law that aims to overhaul the country's 50 local water utilities (EPSs) through the establishment of a new sector watchdog named Otass and the introduction of a set of emergency measures including public-private partnerships (PPPs) with private operators, according to a release from MVCS.

The law will improve the management of the EPSs and allow for the gradual increase of coverage levels and ensure quality and sustainable sanitation service provision across the country.