Southern Cone water watch

CHILE

The constitutional convention approved a proposal declaring water is “non-appropriable,” alongside air.

The motion will be part of the draft constitution that will be subject to a referendum on September 4.

The convention’s plenary also approved a motion that stipulates it is the duty of the State to preserve, conserve and in certain cases restore “common natural assets” such as glaciers, wetlands, native forests and other protected areas. 

Another proposal that was passed with the required two-thirds majority to be included in the draft constitution says the State can provide temporary authorizations to third parties to administrate areas subject to the “common natural asset” definition.

ARGENTINA 

Chubut province will soon launch a 1bn-peso (US$9mn) tender to build a dam on the Senguer River in a project to be financed by the federal government.

The dam will have capacity of 110,000m3 and supply water to local communities, documents show.

Authorities are also evaluating adding a mini-hydro plant at the site, the provincial government said in a release.