Attachments
Glide Number: DR-2023-000010-URY
Description of the Event
What happened, where and when?
The lack of rainfall since September 2022 has caused a significant reduction in the availability and access to water in the country, which in turn has been affected by the presence of the La Niña phenomenon in the region and the increase in temperatures during the summer season.
On 20 January, the Uruguayan State, through the National Emergency System (SINAE), extended a formal request to the Uruguayan Red Cross to provide support in the assessment of needs and possible response to the consequences of the drought.
During the summer season (December, January and February) the average rainfall was 126.4 mm, 225.4 mm below the average value for the reference period. The current summer has been the driest in the last 42 years on record. According to information released by the Uruguayan Institute of Meteorology (INUMET, for its acronym in Spanish), the entire country is currently affected by drought with 20.51% of the territory, equivalent to 3,623,300 hectares, reported under extreme drought (1).
The drought has affected the entire country, although at the beginning of the operation the most affected departments were mainly in the interior of the country and cattle raising areas (Tacuarembó, Cerro Largo, Florida, Lavalleja and San José). Currently, according to information provided by SINAE, the most complex situation is related to the lack of access to safe water which limits families' consumption and use of water (2). The Paso Severino dam, which supplies water to Montevideo and the metropolitan area (an area where more than 2,000,000 people live), only has a reserve of 1.84% of its capacity (3). For this reason, Obras Sanitarias del Estado (OSE) has been increasing the minimum permitted salinity and chlorine levels in the water. The new permitted figures are 420mg/l of sodium and 720 mg/l of chlorine; however, the latest reports state that the parameters present in the water are above these values, despite the established limits.
Although the Ministry of Public Health (MSP, for its acronym in Spanish) assures that the water is still potable and will not have adverse effects on the health of the general population, it has issued specific recommendations for people with arterial hypertension, renal problems, pregnant and lactating women. On the other hand, the Faculty of Chemistry of the Universidad de la República (UDELAR, for its acronym in Spanish) has issued the following recommendations:
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Boil water for 3 to 5 minutes before cooking, since trihalomethanes are largely eliminated during boiling.
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Take short baths in ventilated places to reduce the inhalation of these compounds.
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In the case of having water wells and filters, carry out periodic analyses of their quality and maintenance.
Likewise, during the month of June, the most significant rainfall was recorded in the Northeast and East of the country, especially in the departments of Cerro Largo and Tacuarembó. At the national level, the average rainfall in June 2023 was 35.5 mm, which is below the climatological average expected for this month, which is 91.9 mm. In terms of the frequency of rainy days, it was also below the climatological average, with only 4 days compared to the average of 6 days (based on the 1981-2010 reference period). In terms of precipitation anomalies, these were negative throughout the country, with the South and Southwest being the region with the largest water deficit. Anomalies ranged from -5.2% in Arbolito (Cerro Largo) to -98.8% in Nueva Palmira (Colonia). The evaluation carried out by the National Institute of Meteorology (INUMET) in the last year and quarter (April, May and June), shows that the water deficit persists in the country, especially in the central-south, southwest and east regions.
In view of this situation, on 5 July, the creation of a Water Emergency Fund was urgently approved, which is under the ownership and administration of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF, for its acronym in Spanish). Its main objective is to provide support to health services to attend to vulnerable populations that could be affected, as well as to support those who are experiencing labor difficulties due to the current or future situation of water deficit in the country. It also seeks to strengthen the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Social Development, the National Public Education Administration, the Uruguayan Institute for Children and Adolescents, and the Social Security Bank, which are working together to protect the population.
(1) URC Evaluation Report: https://prddsgofilestorage.blob.core.windows.net/api/sitreps/6330/Reporte_de_Evaluacion_-_DREF_Uruguay_Sequias.pdf
(2) INUMET Climate trends: https://www.inumet.gub.uy/clima/tendencias-climaticas
(3) Severino Pass Reserve: https://www.elobservador.com.uy/nota/sirvio-la-lluvia-subieron-levemente-las-reservas-de-paso-severino-202377181656