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Caracas - Venezuela, october 5, 2016

Cabildo Metropolitano
de Caracas

Municipio Libertador

The Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in its Article 82 acknowledges the right
of the people to adequate, safe, comfortable, hygienic housing with the essential basic services.
Additionally, Article 117 acknowledges the right to enjoy quality goods and services. Both
provisions together with the not discrimination principle of Article 21 have served as the
foundation to acknowledge the right of all persons to access an equitable and non discriminatory
potable water service.
At present our reality is far from the established in the Constitution and the laws in the matter.
Our country faces the worst water crisis of the contemporary history(1); severe rationings,
sometimes over thirty days without water supply and most zones, unexplainably in the largest
cities.
We must point out that in the Sanitation Norms for Potable water Quality in force since 1998,
populations over 100 thousand inhabitants must have a monthly water analysis for every 10
thousand persons plus an additional 10 water samples. In the last yen years no analysis has ever
been published.

Municipio Baruta

Municipio Chacao

Under the terms of the Objectives for Sustainable Development, the government has not
complied with the programs, plans and projects specified in Objective 6 that states: to guarantee
water availability, sustainable management and hygiene. Venezuela is immersed in an
involution process that will have as a consequence not reaching the goals proposed for 2030.
We have described in detail the situation related to each of the specific goals of this objective,
supported by journalistic references since, by decision of the government and violating the
Constitution, the government does not publish official indicators such epidemiology, water quality
reports, hydrology projects execution reports, among others.
Failure to comply with the specific goals of the Sustainable Development Goals 6
Specific goal 1: Achieve universal and equitable access to safe water at an affordable price
for all

Municipio El Hatillo

Municipio Sucre

Contacto:
Vicepresidencia del
Concejo Municipal
de Chacao
Av. Venezuela
Edificio Atrium
Piso 2
Urbanizacin
El Rosal
Municipio Chacao
Caracas
Venezuela
+58-0414-2686363
Correo:
concejalscharifker@gmail.com

concejochacao.gob.ve
@concejochacao

Non compliance with specific goals of point 6 of the Objectives for Sustainable Development.
In spite of large amounts of resources of the last ten years, the Government of the Bolivarian
Republic of Venezuela has not completed the new dams, the expansion and maintenance of
distribution networks to be delivered by 2009 and 2012. The last reservoir built was Taguaza,
located in the Guatopo National Park located in Miranda State. (2).
At least 97 reservoirs have been built in Venezuela of which only two were completed in 1999
and 2015: Caruachi Dam in Bolivar State used for hydroelectric generation (3) and the
expansion of Tres Rios Dam in Zulia State, used for irrigation of 20 thousand hectares in the
region (4) both inaugurated in 2006.

Unfinished works: Tuy IV and Yacambu Quibor.


The Cuira, belonging to the Project Tuy IV, that would increase the supply to the metropolitan
area of Caracas, should have been finished at the end of 2012, as per extra official
information is only 30% finished. (5)
Once finished Curia would have a 700 million cubic meters capacity and would supply more
than 5 million inhabitants of the Miranda District as well as Miranda and Vargas States.
Other unfinished project is the Yacambu- Quibor System in Lara State (western region) that
would supply potable water to the cities of Barquisimeto and Cabudare. It was started in 1973
and its main objective is to take advantage of the Yacambu River, located in Sur de la Sierra,
1 INFORME SOBRE EL AGUA POTABLE EN VENEZUELA

Portuguesa State, a region with abundant rains, that belongs to the basin of the Orinoco River
and transport the stored water towards the north (central Lara State) with four times less rain.
Cabildo Metropolitano
de Caracas

The works were paralyzed due to the partial caving in of a tunnel in the dam, in September
2014. The government gave a new date for 2018 but the extra official information obtained is
that there is no noticeable advance of the works. (6)
The investment up to 1998 was 500 million dollars with a 62% completed. During the
governments of Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro the investment is 800 million dollars and
the system is not even near completion. (7)

Municipio Libertador

In the opinion of the political analyst Eduardo Paez Pumar, in the last 18 years no new dams
have been built, that is there is no water storage for the new 9 million inhabitants of
Venezuela.

Inadequate maintenance

Municipio Baruta

Another variable that contributes to the problem is the inability of the service companies to
render the service in a timely basis. According to official protocols a water spill should be
repaired within 24 hours, no more. We have registered potable water spill lasting more than
3 weeks with the evident indiscriminate loss of such a valuable product. (8), (9), (10), (11),
(12), (13), (14).
In October 2015, Mayor Gerardo Blyde of Baruta Municipality (one of the five municipalities
that comprise the Metropolitan District of Caracas) denounced the impossibility to maintain
the asphaltic carpet of most of the streets due to constant filtration of potable water from
broken tubing (15). The distribution network is totally obsolete.

Municipio Chacao

The Metropolitan Aqueduct is more than three million meters long; at least 5% must be
substituted per year (150 thousand meters) since they are mainly steel tubing. For many
years substitutions are made only of broken tubing.
In February of this year, Mayor Ramn Muchacho of Chacao Municipality denounced that up
to that date, there were 85 water spills, from tubing that had not been repaired by Hidrocapital,
which in one year total 4 million liters of water lost only in that Municipality. (16)

Municipio El Hatillo

In 2013, there were 200 tubing breakdowns per day, while in the 90s the registers show only
40. During the week of August 29 to September 9, several municipalities registered the
breakdowns as they happened. Baruta registered 150, Chacao 50 and El Hatillo 40 (17).
Up to this date, there is no official register of daily water spills, Hidrocapital does not inform,
but extra officially we have been informed that its own officials do not know the totality
of breakdowns, since due to the large amount they are not registered according to the
maintenance protocols of the company.

Municipio Sucre

Contacto:
Vicepresidencia del
Concejo Municipal
de Chacao
Av. Venezuela
Edificio Atrium
Piso 2
Urbanizacin
El Rosal
Municipio Chacao
Caracas
Venezuela
+58-0414-2686363
Correo:
concejalscharifker@gmail.com

concejochacao.gob.ve
@concejochacao

The feeders built with forged iron and steel have an estimated life of 30 years. The reality is
they have been in service for more than 6 decades without repair.
Norberto Bausson. Ex President of Hidrocapital Operations, calculates the total extension of
a network for a city like Caracas, considering one meter of tubing per person. Thus if the city
has 3,500,000 inhabitants, just running water piping there should be 3,500 kilometers long
and sewage water the same amount. He indicates that a feasible substitution plan for this
old, deteriorated network should consider the substitution of, at least, 1% of its length every
year; 35 kilometers every 365 days. (17).
The reality lived by the Caraqueos is repeated or worsens in the rest of the country. The
lack of coherent and sustainable maintenance policy is the main weakness of the system.
2

INFORME SOBRE EL AGUA POTABLE EN VENEZUELA

The consequences: Millions of people without


water supply for weeks and months.
Cabildo Metropolitano
de Caracas

Municipio Libertador

In several states the water crisis has given rise to constant protests by the users. On
September 6, in Falcon State, the newspaper El Universal reported: Protests due to lack of
water supply have become constant, and have generated traffic jams in different streets in
Paraguana Peninsula trying to get the attention of Hidrofalcon. The Governor, Stella Lugo
said I am sorry to inform that we have been considering extending the rationing days
because of the lack of rain during the next months, which would affect the water supply. (18).
In Guanta, Anzoategui state, the newspaper El Tiempo reported that on October 10, the
neighbors protested: because they have water only twice a week and had to paid for 12,000
bolivars for two tank trucks to fill the water tanks of the urbanization. (19).
On Thursday, August 19, the people of Los Bagres Norte, Diaz municipality, Nueva Esparta
State, tired after two months without water took to the street and closed Avenue Juan Bautista
Arismendi, as a protest. (20)

Municipio Baruta

On August 17, the newspaper Panorama reported that the Lara Zulia highway was closed
for six hours due to the protest of the users. (21)
Pedro Sanchez, President of Hidrolara, company responsible for the water supply to Lara
State publicly said; This region has an important water deficit given the population growth of
the last 17 years, which requires an investment for the construction and generation of new
water sources. For this State it would need the completion of the Yacambu- Quibor Hydraulic
System and building of the Dos Bocas dam between the limits of the Lara and Portuguesa
States.

Municipio Chacao

Municipio El Hatillo

Sanchez also reported that it is unavoidable the rehabilitation of the Alto Tocuyo System, that
supplies the city of Barquisimeto, 40 years old and requires an important investment by the
national executive branch. The investment, between 12 and 14 million dollars would improve
the quality and functioning of the system, while the two big systems mentioned are built. (22).
On the morning of September 2, the news portal Sumarium, reported the closure of Highway
Prados del Este (main road southeast of the city of Caracas), by neighbors of the sector
Santa Cruz del Este so expressed are "constant failures in the water supply in the sector".
(23)
July 29, several drivers reported through Twitter that the main road in Mariches, a populous
area of east Caracas was closed by the neighbors protesting the lack of food and water during
several days. (24)
Arguments to sustain the lies

Municipio Sucre

Contacto:
Vicepresidencia del
Concejo Municipal
de Chacao
Av. Venezuela
Edificio Atrium
Piso 2
Urbanizacin
El Rosal
Municipio Chacao
Caracas
Venezuela
+58-0414-2686363
Correo:
concejalscharifker@gmail.com

concejochacao.gob.ve
@concejochacao

Since 2012 different hydrological companies have established rigorous water rationing plans,
denominated Special Supply Plans using as argument the climate phenomenon of El Nio
as sole responsible of water shortages. In fact said plans are not carried out, submitting
hundreds of thousands of people to a week or more without water in a city not prepared to
face such situations.
Such is the case in multiple zones of the Metropolitan Area of Caracas, that according to the
guidelines of Hidrocapital should receive the service in the morning or at night in certain days
of the week, but in truth only receive it every seven o eight days, as best.
The five municipals that constitute the Metropolitan District of Caracas have been affected,
but especially those governed by Mayors that do not belong to the official party. (25).
3

INFORME SOBRE EL AGUA POTABLE EN VENEZUELA

Cabildo Metropolitano
de Caracas

Municipio Libertador

On a presentation by Marcos A. Pealoza Murillo, physic and researcher in the Los Andes
University, held in Merida city, at the Ministry of the Popular Power for Ecosocialism and
Waters (Minea), and reviewed in the official page of the Ministry on July 2016, pointed out
that the documents and chronology found by the researcher are from the XVI and XX
centuries and in them he found proof of the droughts suffered by Venezuela. Using said data,
he prepared a historical inventory that shows that El Nio is not an isolated or recent fact and
has a period of recurrence evidenced in archeological studies that show drastic climate
changes. (26).
In accordance with analysis performed by the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology
of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish acronym Inameh) in the last 40 years during
the periods 1973- 1974, 1982-1983, 1997-1998, 2002- 2003, 2009-2010 and 2013-2015,
precipitations have been below historical averages. (27)
These type of droughts had happened, happen today and will continue happening in the
future, so there is no justification for the impact they have in the capacity of supply systems
and had not been identified by the organizations responsible of potable water management
in order to complete the necessary facilities to satisfy present demands in Venezuela.

Municipio Baruta

Specific goal 2: To achieve an equitable access to sanitary and hygienic services adequate
for all and end open air defecation, pay special attention to women, girls and persons in
vulnerable situations.
Specific goal 3: Improve the quality of water through the reduction of contamination,
eliminate the spillways and reduce to a minimum the percentage of discharge of foreign
and dangerous chemical materials, reduce to half the percentage of non treated residual
waters and a substantial increase of recycling and reutilization under safety measures at
world level.

Municipio Chacao

Municipio El Hatillo

The uncontrolled settlement of communities near the dams and uncontrolled spillways of toxic
substances and industrial waste in all the territory of the country is a constant factor that
contributes to the contamination of the effluents. The lack of maintenance policies together
with the scarcity of raw materials and equipment for water sanitation and storage, increase in
an alarming manner the vulnerability of all hydrological systems in Venezuela, making them
a repository of human and animal bodies among other elements. (28), (29), (30), (31), (32).
Carabobo State Case
We must cite the case of the Pao Cachinche Dam, in the limit of Carabobo and Cojedes
states, the most documented by the organized communities and with the best registers of
analysis (no official) since 1997 up to 2011, have diagnosed turbidity levels up to 220% above
the limits allowed by the Sanitary Laws for Potable Water established by the then Ministry of
Health and published in Official Gazette N 36395 dated February 13, 1998 and in force at
present. (33)

Municipio Sucre

Contacto:
Vicepresidencia del
Concejo Municipal
de Chacao
Av. Venezuela
Edificio Atrium
Piso 2
Urbanizacin
El Rosal
Municipio Chacao
Caracas
Venezuela
+58-0414-2686363
Correo:
concejalscharifker@gmail.com

concejochacao.gob.ve
@concejochacao

In the analysis of the product processed by the treatment plant, showed values such as
ammoniac nitrogen (0.516mgNH3N/L) and phosphorous (0.739 mg P/L) both indicators of
organic materials such as animal and/or human feces. (33)
In March 2915, Manuel Perez Rodriguez, ex Director of Hidrocentro Carabobo, said in an
interview for El Carabobeo newspaper the only aquatic species alive in the Pao Cachinche
are lemma, bora and cyanobacteria. In that occasion he also indicated that in Valencia there
are no purification plants for sewage waters, explaining the low quality of the water that
arrives at the Pao- Cachinche. It is estimated that the sewage depuration plants of Los
Guayos and La Mariposa have capacity to process only 30% of the residual water they
receive. The reason? The expansion and growth of the population. (34)

INFORME SOBRE EL AGUA POTABLE EN VENEZUELA

Cabildo Metropolitano
de Caracas

Last February, BBC Mundo, in a research program, delivered a sample of Valencia water to
a laboratory (that asked their name kept secret) and the results were as follows: three times
more of allowed yellow color, five times more of aluminum (1mg per liter) and three times
more of iron (0.70 mg per liter) allowed by the authorities. (35)

Metropolitan Area of Caracas Case

Municipio Libertador

Through telephone consults, field surveys performed every two months and monitoring the
media communications, we registered growing levels of frustration of the users due to the
quality of the product delivered by Hidrocapital (Government Company responsible for the
service to the city of Caracas, Miranda and Vargas States).
As the only official notice identified is a report of 2012 performed upon request of Hidroven
(state consortium that comprises all water service companies) and CAF (Development
Organization for Latin America) that concluded that the water arrives already contaminated
to Camatagua Dam (supplying water to Caracas) and the Caujarito treatment plant, in need
of an important update) is unable to purify it before pumping it to the Capital. (36)

Municipio Baruta

Municipio Chacao

Municipio El Hatillo

Municipio Sucre

Contacto:
Vicepresidencia del
Concejo Municipal
de Chacao
Av. Venezuela
Edificio Atrium
Piso 2
Urbanizacin
El Rosal
Municipio Chacao
Caracas
Venezuela
+58-0414-2686363
Correo:
concejalscharifker@gmail.com

concejochacao.gob.ve
@concejochacao

The newspaper El Nacional, extra officially, had access to the report because it was never
made public, of analyzed data obtained in the field by a consulting team in seven plants and
the dams and measurements up to 2011 supplied by Hidroven. One of the chapters with more
information is the one dedicated to the Caujarito plant, with water coming from Camatagua
and some from the Taguaza, Taguacita and Lagartijo Dams of the Tuy I and Tuy II systems
that constitute the Metropolitan Aqueduct.
The worsening of the dam water supplied to Caracas, through the Tuy I system is due
(according to the study team) to the water coming from Tuy River since 2008 with an increase
of the yellow color and the turbidity levels. Also negative consequences are due to the
derivation of the Maruria and Cabriales rivers and the water extraction from the Valencia Lake
that comes from the Pao River that communicates with the Guarico River, main effluent of
the Camatagua. Also detrimental is the water coming from the treatment plant of residual
water of Taiguaiguai that pumps 3,000 liters per second top Camatagua through the
Tucunemo River.
Some data presented as deterioration indicators were turbidity, that reached peaks of up to
20 Nephelometric units (potable water should not exceed 5 units) and the color that reached
1,000 units of platinum and cobalt (the limit is 15 units) and the presence of coli forms (human
feces) that in 14 of the 86 months analyzed reached maximum levels above 1,600 per 100
milliliters (moderate values are below 200 per 100 milliliters).
The information extra officially obtained, indicates that Hidrocapital has not performed the
technological update of the Caujarito plant or of any other facility that constitute the
Metropolitan Aqueduct, system that manages the water storage and distribution for the
Metropolitan Area of Caracas.
At present the quality of water that the people of Caracas receives is questionable, a product
that smells bad, with color that go from pale yellow to dark brown. We have received reports
from different points in the city with the same conditions; this is not an isolated occurrence
and gets worse with the passage of time.
In extra official talks with officers of Hidrocapital, they have let us know that the company
does not have the materials or the equipment needed to treat the product they generate and
to face the breakdowns of the system. Literally they said Councilman, in this country there
are no medicines or food, do you think that we have materials to treat the water?
NEVER drink the water from the spouts!!!

INFORME SOBRE EL AGUA POTABLE EN VENEZUELA

Cabildo Metropolitano
de Caracas

Municipio Libertador

Last September 3, the news portal Aporrea.com registered the following: From several points
of the city there are reports that the water supplied smells bad and is getting worse, besides
is a very dark color and carries sediments, since yesterday it smells like rotten eggs. Others
report a smell like methane. The truth is that water should be colorless, odorless and tasteless
and it is not, a serious problem since it could be the cause of many illnesses. (37)
Jogenis Hernandez, journalist of El Nacional published an article describing the health
consequences of bad water quality in Venezuela. Opening the spouts in homes of different
parts of country is an act of valor. Many Venezuelans expect drinking water knowing that they
will not get it; they do not know what they will get. The liquid received is not transparent any
more; in the best cases is brown or yellowish. The contaminated water received should not
be consumed for anyone health conscious. (38)
Some experts point out that in many states the water is putrid and the consequences are
getting very common in doctors offices. Unfortunately the totality of diagnosis consequence
of the bad quality of water mainly for the lack of updated data, since the government policy is
to maintain total silence in that respect.

Municipio Baruta

Municipio Chacao

Municipio El Hatillo

In his declarations to the press, the Minister of Health, Dr. Felix Oletta, has said: The
illnesses produced by metals like mercury and aluminum in the water are not rapidly
determined, producing a series of inconveniences in the organism. In the case of mercury the
kidneys are affected while aluminum produces neurological problems. Cyanobacteria are
related to cancer, while the toxicity in enterobacteria produces infections manifested with
fever. (38)
The ex Minister also said the situation becomes more complex because many persons use
the filtered water, known as bottled water, but the distributors of that liquid do not comply with
national quality norms We carried out a study and found that the suppliers of water in
Carabobo, Merida, Zulia, Nueva Esparta and other states have problems with potability
Dr. Jose Di Giorgio, gastroenterologist of the Prevention Clinic of Anticancer Society of
Venezuela, said an ever increasing number of patients present specific symptoms of chronic
diarrhea and abdominal distension. Venezuela has the largest number of patients with major
infections and we assume is due to the bad state and processing of drinking water. In theory
the water in Caracas is potable, but is not drinkable because a large number of people present
diarrhea. It is not a secret that it is not what it should be. We have seen an increase of
parasites related to the quality of water.
Di Giorgio explained that to know exactly if the illnesses are water related a special feces
test, called Tincion de Kinyoun must be performed, that was available in Centro Medico
Docente La Trinidad, but in the last three weeks is not available because they do not
have the necessary colorants. (38)
Doctors link the diarrhea outbreaks to the bad quality of water

Municipio Sucre

Contacto:
Vicepresidencia del
Concejo Municipal
de Chacao
Av. Venezuela
Edificio Atrium
Piso 2
Urbanizacin
El Rosal
Municipio Chacao
Caracas
Venezuela
+58-0414-2686363
Correo:
concejalscharifker@gmail.com

concejochacao.gob.ve
@concejochacao

The diarrhea cases are increasing in the country and specially in Caracas and according to
the specialists not localized in any specific place or class level. In 2016 the patients with
intestinal infections may have a 28.63% increase according to the Venezuela Society of
Public Health.
In an interview published by El Nacional, Dr. Saturnino Fernandez, head of the
Gastroenterology Department of Hospital Universitario and professor at the Medical School
indicated that he has identified an increase in the number of patients treated for intestinal
infections, situation reported also by Clinica La Floresta in Altamira and Centro Clinica Vista
California in La California.
We are seeing an increase of diarrheas, not only due to conventional bacteria but by other
less common and emergent pathogenic protozoa such as microspores or campylobacter.
6 INFORME SOBRE EL AGUA POTABLE EN VENEZUELA

There are no more aggressive but less common and as such the diagnosis takes longer. We
saw these cases mainly in persons with immune suppression. (39)
Cabildo Metropolitano
de Caracas

The national government does not publish the Epidemiology Bulletin of the Health Minister
thus difficult monitoring those sicknesses transmitted by the water, that are among the 72
cases of compulsory notification.
Water contamination suffered during the past three years by the people of Carabobo state
seems getting worse according to the reports of health professionals members of the
organization (Red Defendamos la Epidemiologa) Let us defend Epidemiology.

Municipio Libertador

Jos Flix Olleta, member of that organization said The lack of compliance by Hidrocentro
of the Sanitation Guidelines and Norms for Water quality is producing serious consequences
for human health and high morbidity risk and mortality due to the presence of dangerous
chemical agents and also by infectious and toxic agents. (40).
The Nueva Esparta Case

Municipio Baruta

Municipio Chacao

Municipio El Hatillo

On August 24, the NGO Stop HIV, an organization dedicated to make the people conscious
about the HIV virus and AIDs virus denounced the dubious quality of the water consumed in
Nueva Esparta. The representative Jhonatan Rodriguez says that it is a negative aggregate
to health, it is urgent that sanitation controls used to make the water that reaches the Islands
of Margarita and Coche drinkable be known. As a result of the follow up of health conditions
performed by the NGO to the persons with HIV in the region they have detected problems
due to the quality of water consumed. (41)
Specific goal 4: Assure a substantial increase of efficient use of hydro resources in all
sectors and assure the sustainability of the extraction and supply of drinking water to face
its scarcity and reduce the number of people affected by said scarcity.
Due to the previously stated is very clear that the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of
Venezuela lacks the intention to operate or maintain an efficient potable water management
for its population. On the contrary, the introduction of politics in the storage, treatment and
distribution of drinking water operations has derived in an alarming crisis of scarcity in the
country as well as the abandonment of users due to the precarious quality of the product
received from the service companies of the sector.
On March 25, 2015, president Nicolas Maduro announced the creation of the Ministry of
Ecosocialism and Water ascribed to the Vice-presidency of Territorial Socialism designating
citizen Guillermo Barreto as head with the responsibility of strengthening the ecology
of the XXI century socialism and in charge of the National Water Plan (42)

Municipio Sucre

Contacto:
Vicepresidencia del
Concejo Municipal
de Chacao
Av. Venezuela
Edificio Atrium
Piso 2
Urbanizacin
El Rosal
Municipio Chacao
Caracas
Venezuela
+58-0414-2686363
Correo:
concejalscharifker@gmail.com

concejochacao.gob.ve
@concejochacao

The new ministry will be in charge of: environmental ecosocialism, drinking and residual
water and environmental sanitation, hydrographic basins, water resources and dams,
planning and ordering the territory, natural resources and biological diversity, forest
resources, integral ecosocialist management of waste and residues. With 24 entities
ascribed to it as well as three vice ministries: Ecosocialist Management of the Environment,
Ecosocialist Management of the waters and Ecosocialist management of solid wastes. (43)
Specific goal 5: Enforce the integrated management of hydric resources at all levels
including the cooperation in the frontier according to the need.
Specific goal 6: Support and strengthen the participation of local communities to improve
management of water and sanitation.
On December 31, 2001, the Organic Law for Drinking Water and Sanitation Services was
published in Official Gazette N 5,568. (44)
7

INFORME SOBRE EL AGUA POTABLE EN VENEZUELA

Cabildo Metropolitano
de Caracas

Municipio Libertador

This legal document establishes the guidelines that should support the new water
management model in Venezuela. This law is still in full force in our country and it gathers
most of the recommendations of WHO and its guidelines for the quality of drinking water.
Mainly in the decentralization of the management systems and the separation of the
production and quality control functions. Among the responsibilities of the Executive Power,
the Law establishes the obligation to promote the transfer of the services at present rendered
by the Executive Power, to the municipalities, in accordance with the laws regulating the
matter, Article 9, letter e). The municipalities and Metropolitan Districts have the
responsibilities of rendering and controlling potable water services and sanitation. (Art.11)
In that sense the Law orders the creation of the National Office for the Development of
Potable Water Services and Sanitation (Spanish acronym ONDESAPS) as regulating entity
of the national water policy. (Art. 13)
Similarly, also orders the creation of the National Superintendency of Drinking Water and
Sanitation; in order to exercise the function of regulation and control over the provision of
services under this Act. (Art. 19)

Municipio Baruta

Municipio Chacao

Municipio El Hatillo

The superintendence shall exercise the functions of inspection and control on the basis of its
own verifications and the information supplied by the service companies, the users and local
authorities and shall have access to all pertinent documentation as well as the facilities
involved whenever necessary for the exercise of its functions (Art. 28). The data, reports and
documents that the Superintendence or gathers shall be of free access to the persons with
legitimate and direct interests, unless the agent supplying the information requires it be
granted the character of confidential to certain or specific information and the petition is
granted in accordance with applicable norms. (Art. 29).
Article 126 defined that the Venezuela Hydrological Company (Spanish acronym
HIDROVEN) would have a period no longer than one (1) year from the date of publication to
prepare and present to the National Executive Power through the Environment and Natural
Resources Ministry, the Regulation or Regulations project needed for the enforcement of the
Law and to prepare the necessary documents and analysis to help the transformation of the
present institutional structure of the Sector of the National Office for the Development of the
Potable Water services and Sanitation into the National Superintendence of Water Services
and sanitation and the Company in National Management. Nothing of the previously
indicated has occurred up to date.
Article 127 established that the National Office for the Development of Potable Water
Services and Sanitation, the National Management should have been functioning in a period
no longer than two /2) years from the date of publication of the Law. Nothing has happened
up to this date.

Municipio Sucre

Contacto:
Vicepresidencia del
Concejo Municipal
de Chacao
Av. Venezuela
Edificio Atrium
Piso 2
Urbanizacin
El Rosal
Municipio Chacao
Caracas
Venezuela
+58-0414-2686363
Correo:
concejalscharifker@gmail.com

concejochacao.gob.ve
@concejochacao

Article 133 of the Law established that until the previously mentioned institutions assume their
functions, they shall be exercised by HIDROVEN. Up to this date, fifteen years later,
HIDROVEN still exercises the control of potable water services in Venezuela.
Article 134 assigned to HIDROVEN the responsibility in the national territory, the transfer of
the services rendered by the National Executive to the metropolitan districts and
municipalities, transfer that could not take more than five years from the date of publication.
Until the transfer, the entities that render the service shall continue doing it under the
supervision of HIDROVEN. Up to this date the transfer has not been performed.
On September 6, 2007, the Law for the Partial reform of the Organic Law of Water Services
and sanitation was published in Official Gazette N38,763. (45).
Said reform was promoted by the Presidency of the National Assembly, presided by
Representative Cilia Flores (now First Lady) and only considered the modification of Article
127, to assign a new period for the creation of the National Office for the Development of
8

INFORME SOBRE EL AGUA POTABLE EN VENEZUELA

Cabildo Metropolitano
de Caracas

Potable Water Services and sanitation and the National Superintendence of Potable Water
Services and Sanitation which should have been functioning four years from that date.
Likewise reformed Article 134 in order to postpone for six years the transfer of competences
of water management to the Metropolitan Districts and municipalities. We must point out
that after 9 years nothing has happened.
This shows that the government does not have any interest to put into effect the integrated
management of the water with all levels of the government, regional, district and municipal.

Municipio Libertador

Municipio Baruta

Specific goal 7: Protect and reestablish the ecosystems related to the water including
forests, mountains, marshes, aquifers and lakes.
The NGO Vitalis, a respectable institution created in August 2000 with the mission to
contribute to the creation of values, knowledge and behavior in harmony with environmental
conservation and the sustainable development in Venezuela, indicated in its 2015 annual
balance about the Environmental Situation in our country The deterioration of the water
quality and the decrease of water production in dams and hydrographic basins, deficient
handling of residues and solid waste, loss of biodiversity, lack of institutionalism and
environmental governability, deficient urban management, illegal mining in the South of the
country, lack of environmental education programs, were the main concerns of the
Venezuelans as identified by Vitalis with the support of 67 experts.
Vitalis findings indicates that for 2015 problems related with the water such as the decrease
in the quality and availability constituted the first environmental problem, different from
previous years when the prevalent problem was the inadequate handling of residues and
solid waste.

Municipio Chacao

Among the most important recommendations of the experts for 2015, was the need to develop
technical programs for quality control of the bodies of water in the country, prepare and enact
the Regulation of the Water Laws, foster the construction and start up of treatment plants for
sewage waters at the municipal level. (46).
Orinoco Mining Arch

Municipio El Hatillo

Municipio Sucre

Contacto:
Vicepresidencia del
Concejo Municipal
de Chacao
Av. Venezuela
Edificio Atrium
Piso 2
Urbanizacin
El Rosal
Municipio Chacao
Caracas
Venezuela
+58-0414-2686363
Correo:
concejalscharifker@gmail.com

concejochacao.gob.ve
@concejochacao

On February 24 of this year, the Presidency of the Republic made official the creation of the
National Strategic Development Zone Orinoco Mining Arch (Spanish acronym AMO) It is a
geographic space of almost 112,000 square kilometers on the south east of the Country, 12,
2% of the national territory, equivalent to Honduras, larger than Portugal or Panama, with
proven reserves calculated in thousands of millions of tons in gold, diamonds, iron, bauxite,
copper and coltan, among others. (47)
For the Director of research and development of the NGO Provita, Tina Oliveira, the
exploitation of AMO under the terms considered has terrible implications due to its large
extension, it will change the vegetal cover, that is deforestation and elimination of non forestall
ecosystems, changes in the river beds as well as the water quality, increase of contaminant
emissions into the atmosphere, the water, the soil and subsoil, contamination of the species
and their extinction. All that will have a negative impact in the economy and resources of the
country, that has already suffered the consequences of drought, translated into the lack of
water, dramatic electricity outages, phenomena that will increase with deforestation and could
reach catastrophic dimensions. (48)
In the opinion of the NGO Provea the decision to create AMO is formalized not complying
with constitutional obligations to perform environmental impact and socio cultural studies of
the activities susceptible to generate damage to the ecosystem (Art. 129) as well as previous
consultation with the original people when the natural resources are located in indigenous
habitats (Art. 120 of the 169 Agreement of the ILO). According to the 2011 Census in the
Bolivar State there are 54,686 indigenous people in place, while as registered on the map
9

INFORME SOBRE EL AGUA POTABLE EN VENEZUELA

edited in 2010 by the Ministry of Indigenous People, within the territory decreed as AMO lived
the indigenous people of Inga, Mapoyo, Eepa, Karia, Arawak and Akawako tribes whose
lives would be affected by the mining activities. (49).
Cabildo Metropolitano
de Caracas

Last June 7, the President of the Republic, announced the creation of a new Ministry of
Popular Power for Ecological Mining Development, This new entity will have special
functions, design policies for the mining sector, certification of reserves, design, inspection
and management of mining activities with profound respect of the human being and the
environment and shall be ascribed to the economic vice presidency of the Government. (50)
(51).
Roberto Ignacio Mirabal Acosta was designated as new minister, a mining expert that has
been Juridical Consultant of the National Electoral Council. We must point out that this entity
is severely questioned for its evident partiality towards the government party, using absurd
juridical interpretations of regulations and laws to favor official interests.

Municipio Libertador

During the last months, the President has signed a special decree for the protection of basins
and rivers of AMO and a special decree forbidding the use of mercury in mining exploitation.
Both actions have been the only answer to numerous warnings from Venezuela and abroad
about the possible environmental consequences of starting operations in the zone
established for AMO.

Municipio Baruta

Specific goal 8: Expand international cooperation and support given to developing


countries for the creation of capacity in activities and programs related to water and
sanitation including the gathering and storage of water, desalinization, efficient usage of
hydric resources, treatment of residual waters and recycling and reutilization
technologies.
Municipio Chacao

Municipio El Hatillo

During many years, Venezuelans were able to develop a model of water management that was
reference for other countries. The situation in Venezuela today is very different to what the
government reports to PAHO and WHO. Our cities are not prepared to face long periods without
water supply, the design of houses of most Venezuelans do not allow enough storage to supply
water to their homes. Our schools and hospitals remain without water for weeks and do not have
facilities to store it to face the severe rationing. (52) (53) (54) (55) (56) (57).
Venezuelans find ourselves in the dire need to appeal to international organizations to invite to
contribute to closing the deep gap existing in our national water system.
This first edition of the Potable Water Report has received the cooperation of 32 councilmen of
different municipalities that constitute the Metropolitan District of Caracas and representatives of
organized communities. Its contents will be updated and periodically presented to the
Representative of WHO, of PAHO for Venezuela as well as their respective general directors and
general associated directors in the city of Washington DC and Genve (Switzerland). Likewise
shall be presented to diplomatic representations established in our territory.

Municipio Sucre

Contacto:
Vicepresidencia del
Concejo Municipal
de Chacao
Av. Venezuela
Edificio Atrium
Piso 2
Urbanizacin
El Rosal
Municipio Chacao
Caracas
Venezuela
+58-0414-2686363
Correo:
concejalscharifker@gmail.com

concejochacao.gob.ve
@concejochacao

References
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)

Sumarium.com - Venezuela est atravesando la crisis ms desastrosa referente al agua- Redaccin Sumarium | 19 julio, 2016 |
http://goo.gl/B8EtI3
El-Nacional.com - En Venezuela no se construye un embalse desde 1997 Redaccin | 10 febrero, 2016 | http://goo.gl/kc20Jx
Aporrea.org - Presidente activ Central Hidroelctrica Caruachi - Agencia Bolivariana de Noticias (ABN) | 31 marzo,2006 |
http://goo.gl/IMDndZ
Aporrea.org - Chvez: Presa Tres Ros permitir riego de 20 mil hectreas en el estado Zulia - Agencia Bolivariana de Noticias
(ABN) | 19 noviembre,2006 | http://goo.gl/1Ng3EI
Youtube.com - Presidente Chvez aprob 1.600 millones de bolvares para Acueducto Metropolitano de Caracas MariscalVoroshilov99 | 22 marzo, 2011 | http://goo.gl/J6Jrdr
ElUniversal.com - En riesgo 40 aos de obras y 1.000 millones de dlares en Yacamb Flix Cordero Peraza | 16 noviembre,
2014 | http://goo.gl/T7cSmd
UnidadVenezuela.org - Diputado Guillermo Palacios: Ministro Barreto miente sobre la represa Yacamb Quibor Redaccin | 22
julio, 2015 | http://goo.gl/xwxObE

10

INFORME SOBRE EL AGUA POTABLE EN VENEZUELA

(8)
(9)

Cabildo Metropolitano
de Caracas

(10)
(11)
(12)
(13)
(14)
(15)
(16)
(17)
(18)

Municipio Libertador

(19)
(20)
(21)
(22)
(23)
(24)
(25)
(26)

Municipio Baruta

(27)
(28)
(29)
(30)
(31)
(32)
(33)
(34)

Municipio Chacao

(35)
(36)
(37)
(38)
(39)

Municipio El Hatillo

(40)
(41)
(42)
(43)

Municipio Sucre

(44)
(45)
(46)
(47)
(48)
(49)

Contacto:
Vicepresidencia del
Concejo Municipal
de Chacao
Av. Venezuela
Edificio Atrium
Piso 2
Urbanizacin
El Rosal
Municipio Chacao
Caracas
Venezuela
+58-0414-2686363
Correo:
concejalscharifker@gmail.com

concejochacao.gob.ve
@concejochacao

(50)
(51)
(52)
(53)
(54)
(55)
(56)
(57)

DiarioLaRegion.net - Litros de agua se desperdician por tubera averiada en la Ribas Gerardo Contreras | 9 agosto, 2016 |
http://goo.gl/v8FxFU
Aporrea.org - Denuncia: Hidrocapital Los Salias, la mayor suma de infelicidad posible Leonardo Nazoa Bolvar 10 Agosto, 2016
| http://goo.gl/pBCBJt
El Universal - Vecinos exigen a Hidrocapital reparar las tuberas de Baruta Redaccin | 25 mayo, 2015 | https://goo.gl/If36oG
El Universal - Falla en tubo matriz dej sin agua a ms de media ciudad Redaccin | 13 enero, 2016 | https://goo.gl/cprL4C
El Universal - Fractura de tubera gener bote de agua en Petare Redaccin | 30 marzo, 2016 | https://goo.gl/UxDERZ
El Universal - Falla servicio de agua en Candelaria desde hace tres das Jorge Hernndez | 26 abril, 2016 | https://goo.gl/EtqK1B
El Universal - Reparacin de vas y viviendas necesitan en Turmerito tras fuertes lluvias Jorge Hernndez | 11 mayo, 2016 |
https://goo.gl/17C4CG
Youtube Habla El Alcalde Gerardo Blyde sobre Los HidroHuecos - Alcalda de Baruta | https://goo.gl/KmQLSk
ElPitazo.com - En Chacao se fugan 12 mil litros de agua al da por botes Armando Altuve | 5 febrero, 2016 |https://goo.gl/51bwrS
El Nacional - Caracas est montada sobre una red de tuberas vencidas Dalila Itriago | 12 Septiembre, 2016 | https://goo.gl/xN45RZ
El Universal - Protestas por falta de agua en Falcn se han vuelto constantes Mircely Guanipa | 6 Septiembre, 2016 |
https://goo.gl/5tTVoA
El Tiempo - En Los Cocalitos protestaron por falta de agua potable Giovanna Pellicani | 10 agosto, 2016 | https://goo.gl/bpjP8j
ElSolDeMargarita.com.ve - Cierran va para exigir agua en Los Bagres Anglica Villarroel | 19 agosto, 2016 | https://goo.gl/w6isii
Panorama.com.ve - Cerraron seis horas la Lara-Zulia a la altura de Montepo en protesta por falta de agua Redaccin Web | 17
agosto, 2016 | https://goo.gl/a5lfdD
ElImpulso.com - Fallas en suministro de agua tiene mltiples causas Maringel Durn | 24 agosto, 2016 | https://goo.gl/yTg1tC
Sumarium.com - Protestaron por falta de agua en la Prados del Este Redaccin Sumarium | 2 septiembre, 2016 |
https://goo.gl/RS4Z3Y
Analitica.com - Reportan protesta por falta de agua y alimentos en Filas de Mariche Lewin Granados | 29 julio, 2016 |
https://goo.gl/Qkuoro
NoticieroVenevision.net - Alcalde de Chacao considera grave la discriminacin de Hidrocapital al negar servicio de agua potable a
habitantes Redaccin Web | https://goo.gl/lJHebj
Minea.gob.ve - Conferencia sobre El fenmeno El Nio en la Historia de Venezuela se dict en el Minea Mrida Prensa
Ecosocialismo y Aguas (MINEA) / Mrida | https://goo.gl/n6pgzk
ElUniversal.com - Sequa: crisis previsible Alejandra Fernndez | 7 Febrero, 2016 | https://goo.gl/rRjPFm
ElCarabobeno.com - Carabobo: seguirn llegando cadveres a la Planta La Mariposa? Luis Alejandro Borrero | 2 septiembre
2016 | https://goo.gl/ruIS09
ElCarabobeno.com - Hallados otros dos cadveres en Planta La Mariposa Heberlizeth Gonzlez C. | 25 agosto, 2016 |
https://goo.gl/1aplh4
ElCarabobeno.com - Hallado cadver dentro de planta La Mariposa - Redaccin | 30 enero, 2016 | https://goo.gl/crC69M
El-Nacional.com - Hallaron dos cadveres carbonizados en La Mariposa Sandra Guerrero | 27 febrero, 2015 |
https://goo.gl/SgwMlZ
Notitarde.com - Localizados cuerpos de los tres desaparecidos en embalse de Camatagua Redaccin Web | 9 septiembre, 2015
| https://goo.gl/CHazA2
El-Nacional.com - De la Planta Zuloaga salen aguas contaminadas Mara Emilia Jorge | 8 agosto, 2016 | https://goo.gl/ct7t9S
ElCarabobeno.com - Pao-Cachinche: El embalse que se muere lentamente Abel Flores Andrade | 10 marzo, 2015 |
https://goo.gl/pqc5cY
El-Naciona.com - Por qu el agua en Venezuela llega "hedionda y amarillenta"? BBC Mundo | 4 febrero, 2016 |
https://goo.gl/gbLXpa
El-Nacional.com - Embalse de Camatagua enva a Caracas agua con material orgnico Mara Emilia Jorge M. | 7 agosto, 2016 |
https://goo.gl/5uMvad
Aporrea.org - Llamado urgente a Hidrocapital: Agua maloliente y terrosa sale de las tuberas de Caracas Redaccin Aporrea | 3
septiembre, 2016 | https://goo.gl/p8HT5w
El-Nacional.com - Agua contaminada, un problema de salud pblica que el gobierno intenta silenciar Jorgenis Hernndez | 30 de
junio, 2016 | https://goo.gl/Bivg8F
El-Nacional.com - Mdicos vinculan aumento de casos de diarrea con mala calidad del agua Mara Emilia Jorge M. | 7 agosto,
2016 | https://goo.gl/ONI6tu
ElUniversal.com - Agua contaminada produce hepatitis A, diarrea y fluorosis Carolina Contreras | 16 julio, 2014 |
https://goo.gl/eV5B4S
Stopvih.org - Calidad del agua que est llegando a Margarita es un agregado negativo a la salud Prensa Stop VIH | 24 agosto,
2016 | https://goo.gl/GFnFr5
Youtube - Presidente Maduro designa a Guillermo Barreto en el nuevo Ministerio del Ecosocialismo y el Agua Primicias24 |
https://goo.gl/KWCIj0
Correodelorinoco.gob.ve - En Gaceta Oficial creacin del nuevo Ministerio del Poder Popular para Ecosocialismo y Aguas
Marianela Milln | 8 abril, 2015 | https://goo.gl/G6rP0l
Tsj.gob.ve Gaceta Oficial N 5.568, Pag. 38 Tribuanal Supremo de Justicia | 31 diciembre,2001 | https://goo.gl/e8GQsr
Tsj.gob.ve Gaceta Oficial N 38.763, Pag. 1 Tribunal Supremo de Justicia | 6 septiembre, 2007 | https://goo.gl/oS3Bqo
Slideshare.net - Situacin Ambiental de Venezuela 2015 Vitalis | 28 febrero, 2016 | https://goo.gl/j9KstU
Tsj.gob.ve Gaceta Oficial N 40.855, Pag. 1 Tribunal Supremo de Justicia | 24 febrero, 2016 | https://goo.gl/eEB1nQ
El-Nacional.com - Decreto del Arco Minero del Orinoco viola derechos y es una amenaza para la economa del pas El Nacional
Web | 8 julio, 2016 | https://goo.gl/IGTrQf
Derechos.org.ve - Decreto del Arco Minero del Orinoco suspende garantas constitucionales en 12,2% del territorio venezolano
Provea | 9 marzo, 2016 | https://goo.gl/sDwaus
Tsj.gob.ve Gaceta Oficial N 40.922 Tribunal Supremo de Justicia | 9 junio, 2016 | https://goo.gl/2wWH0Z
Youtube.com - Maduro anunci la creacin del Ministerio del Desarrollo Minero Ecolgico Diario Panorama | junio 7, 2016 |
https://goo.gl/s3oLx6
Cronica.uno.com - Cierran servicio pediatra del Hospital Universitario de Maracaibo por falta de aires y agua Celina Carquez | 14
octubre, 2016 | https://goo.gl/aD29fR
OkDiario.com - Venezuela: mueren seis bebs en el Hospital de San Cristbal por falta de agua y medicamentos Redaccin Ok
Diario | 12 febrero, 2016 | https://goo.gl/Zjdn44
ElPitazo.com - Denuncian contaminacin en hospitales de Caracas por falta de agua y productos de limpieza Redaccin El Pitazo
| 22 abril, 2016 | https://goo.gl/sO003c
EfectoCocuyo.com - Colegios y universidades en riesgo de paralizarse por racionamiento de agua Julett Pineda | 2 febrero, 2016
| https://goo.gl/m710mR
ElUniversal.com - Reducen horario en escuelas de Margarita por crisis de agua Redaccin | 25 enero, 2016 | https://goo.gl/XfvDOb
NotHoy.com - Violencia, falta de agua, escasez de alimentos y medicinas afectan la educacin en Venezuela Redaccin Notihoy
| 18 marco, 2016 | https://goo.gl/YzTjnR

11

INFORME SOBRE EL AGUA POTABLE EN VENEZUELA

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