Chilean President Sebastián Piñera and the general manager of water utility Aguas Andinas, which serves the metropolitan region, Joaquín Villarino, inaugurated the Mapocho Urbano Limpio wastewater collection pipeline on Tuesday.

The 29km pipeline runs parallel to the Mapocho river and required a US$113mn investment.

The project eliminates a total of 21 wastewater discharge points – nearly 5,000l/s of wastewater – along the river and will transport the wastewater to treatment plants La Farfana and El Trebal, in the city’s western area.

The initiative benefits the whole city, but especially Las Condes, Providencia, Santiago Centro, Renca, Quinta Normal, Cerro Navia, Pudahuel and Maipú districts, where the discharge points were located.

Mapocho Urbano Limpio increases Santiago’s wastewater treatment coverage from 69% to 86%. Brazilian firm OAS was in charge of the eastern stretch, while Spain’s OHL was responsible for the western stretch. The pipeline took two years to build.

The project is part of Aguas Andinas’ sanitation plan, which began in 2000 and is expected to cost a total of US$970mn, said Villarino.

So far, US$700mn have been invested in the plan, including the construction of wastewater treatment plants El Trebal and La Farfana, the Mapocho Urbano Limpio wastewater collection system, and 10 smaller wastewater treatment plants located in a number of districts, Villarino added.

Similar Posts:

• Water & Waste – Mexico – Conagua building two wastewater treatment plants in Querétaro
• Water & Waste – Colombia – Aguas de Manizales to spend US$75mn on Chinchiná river cleanup
• Water & Waste – Mexico – BECC to approve US$5mn Baja California sewerage work by June
• Water & Waste – Peru – New standards for effluents are insufficient while coverage remains low – expert
• Water & Waste – Mexico – Agua de Hermosillo launches tender for US$48mn wastewater treatment plant