Peru's Alarming Water Truth

[RestoreGore]

Peru's Alarming Water Truth
By James Painter In Peru

Oscar-winning Al Gore chose to call his film about global warming An Inconvenient Truth. But for Peru it is more like an alarming reality.Government officials, water experts and environmentalists agree the rapid melting of the spectacular Andean glaciers featured in the film is threatening the long-term economic and human development of what is South America's most "water-stressed" country."Global warming for us is not just about the environment," warns Julio Garcia of Peru's National Council on the Environment, Conam. "It's more about how on earth we can develop Peru in a sustainable way over the coming years."

Peru's water problem lies in part in the peculiar geography of the country. Most of the Pacific coast would be desert if it were not for the water flowing down from the Andes. Seventy per cent of the population live along the coast, where less than 2% of the country's water resources are found. In contrast, the Atlantic side of the Andes has 98% of the water and about a quarter of the population. A lot of attention has been paid to the range known as Cordillera Blanca, home to Peru's largest mountain, Huascaran, at 6,768 metres (22,200ft). Water coming down from the range feeds an array of economic activities in the Rio Santa valley below it. This includes a hydro-electric plant providing 5% of Peru's electricity, drinking water for two cities, and commercial and small-scale agriculture.

"Water from glaciers is absolutely critical for the valley in the six or seven months of the dry season," says Gabriela Rosas, a researcher at the national weather institute, Senamhi. Glacial melt is calculated to provide 10 to 20% of the total annual water run-off in the valley, but it can reach 40% in the dry season. Ms Rosas is part of a team modelling future water availability in Peru. The models, based on moderate rises in temperature, predict annual water availability will increase slightly as more of the glaciers melt, but that there will be a dramatic decline after 2050 and possibly as early as 2030. Seasonal variations will become more intense, with less water available in the dry season.

Lima, Peru's capital, is a particular worry.

"We are only city in South America with so few reserves - less than a year's supply. We are very vulnerable," says Mr Silvestri. He also worries about the increased frequency and intensity of droughts due to El Nino, and Lima's current reliance on just one 60-km (37-mile) tunnel fetching water from the other side of the Andes. And now there's glacial melt. "We really are on the edge of an abyss," he warns. Scientists say it is hard to predict in how many years the effect of glacial melt will really bite. But it is remarkable how many experts in Peru take seriously the prediction that the time will come this century when a barrel of water will cost more than a barrel of oil.
End of excerpt.


Satellite image of Peru's glaciers receding. And this was taken four years ago, so you can imagine what it is today.

Peru's Mountain Glaciers Are Melting Away

Peru May Lose Glaciers By 2015

And even though this has been happening for close to a decade, here we sit still watching them melt in 2007 as we continue to spew millions of tons of GHGs into our atmosphere everyday while the water supplies becomes endangered.

They will either have to find a way to bring the water over or move the people. But then, if the water is not being replenished to keep up with the pace of its exhaustion as is the case now, does it matter what side of the wall they live on? And where will they get it from?

This is the common tale of so many poor countries in our world today left to deal with the ramifications of climate change that rich countries are exacerbating and refusing to take responsibility for because they seek to make a profit from it.

Water Privitization In Peru

People literally have died for clean water because they couldn't afford to pay for it because of privitization. And now with climate change making it even more precious, look to the World Bank and private corporations like Bechtel to be licking their chops.

Water Privitization/Latin America/Peru


Water Is Life

[jwirr]

1. Didn't the privatizing of water have a lot to do with national debt

to the world bank? They forced these countries to privatize everything so they could pay the debts. That is why the G8 is suggesting debt forgiveness.

[RestoreGore]

2. That is the World Bank's job

To bring poor countries to their knees.

[jwirr]

3. Yeah, I know, which is why I do not support them.

[RestoreGore]

4. I'm with you on that n/t