Water utilities Agua y Saneamientos Argentinos, Waternet Amsterdam and research institute Deltares held a first workshop for the development of a strategic plan to improve the water quality of the Morón river in Buenos Aires. 

The river is one of the most polluted tributaries of the Rio Reconquista that runs through the capital city. Untreated domestic wastewater, discharges by industries and the uncontrolled dumping of solid waste are the main sources of pollution.

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workshop on a strategic plan to improve the water quality of the Morón river
Workshop on improving the water quality of the Morón river (photo: Deltares).
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workshop on a strategic plan to improve the water quality of the Morón river
Workshop on improving the water quality of the Morón river (photo: Deltares).

Community involvement

An important aspect of the development of the plan will be the involvement of stakeholders, including the communities of the city districts of Morón and Hurlingham that border the Morón river. The first workshop was organised to make this happen. 

This strategy will also be based on an integrated approach that includes urban planning, solid waste management and models for sustainable financing. Dutch research institute Deltares will scientifically assist the process, using the D-Emission model to assess a baseline for pollution loads and the effectiveness of programmes of measures under different scenarios. The plan is expected to be ready by July.

Several organisations involved

Several Dutch and Argentinian organisations work together on the project. Argentinian organisations involved, are the local water authority Comirec, the provincial water authority Autoridades del Agua (ADA) and the municipal water utility Agua y Saneamientos Argentinos (AySA).
Participating from the Netherlands are water utility Waternet Amsterdam, the City of Amsterdam and research institute Deltares.

Deltares contributes with an integrated approach to improve water quality in the Morón River, using a D-Emission model to assess a baseline for pollution loads and the effectiveness of programmes of measures under different scenarios.

Argentinian-Dutch collaboration

An important catalyst of the Argentinian-Dutch project was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for Water in Amsterdam in March 2017 by Argentinian Vice Minister of Infrastructure and Water Policy Pablo Bereciartua and Dutch water envoy Henk Ovink.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Argentina president Mauricio Macri, Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima.

This news item was originally published on the website of Deltares