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Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Two were martyred in an initial toll of the Israeli drone strike that targeted the al-Asira neighborhood in the city of Baalbek, eastern Lebanon
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: An Israeli drone strike targeted the al-Asira neighborhood east of Baalbek, eastern Lebanon
Sheikh Naim Qassem to the pager attack survivors: You are the greatest resistance. Know that 'Israel' will fall because it embodies aggression, crime, and occupation; victory is truly yours
Sheikh Qassem to the pager attack survivors: The value of what you are doing despite your wounds is immense, and here you are, treading the path of the Master of Nation's Martyrs and the leaders
Sheikh Qassem to the pager attack survivors: You are moving forward with insight deeper than sight itself. The enemy sought to eliminate your role in the battle, yet you remain steadfast and continue the fight
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem to the pager attack survivors one year later: You are healing from your wounds and rising above them. You have successfully passed the test
Palestinian media: Reports of stabbing operation in occupied al-Quds.
Israeli media: Sirens blare in Arava in South, near Ramon Airport.
Egyptian PM Mostafa Madbouli: Egypt is targeted in plans to redraw regional map
AEOI Chief Mohammad Eslami: Our presence in IAEA General Council and fact-checking helped in preventing unilateral rhetoric that aims to portray Iran as an unregulated country

3.5mln Uruguayans left without potable tap water amid drought

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 15 Jul 2023 10:13
2 Min Read

The crisis was forecasted long ago when experts said the country's single reservoir, Montevideo, was exposed to vulnerabilities that would cause water supplies to diminish.

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  • The dried Canelon Grande reservoir just north of Canelones, in southern Uruguay, earlier in March. (AFP)
    The dried Canelon Grande reservoir just north of Canelones, in southern Uruguay, earlier in March (AFP)

Drought in Uruguay has been so severe that nearly 3.5 million citizens are now left without access to tap water fit for drinking, with experts warning that the situation is likely to worsen amid ongoing climate change. 

The crisis was forecasted long ago when experts said that the country's single reservoir, Montevideo, was exposed to vulnerabilities that would cause water supplies to diminish.

To make up the supply, authorities are taking water from the Rio de la Plata estuary, where seawater is mixed with freshwater, giving tap water a salty taste. 

By May, the mixed water had reached the maximum levels of sodium and chlorides recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), making the water taste salty and raising concerns about its potential hazards to human health.

Read more: More than half of world's largest lakes, reservoirs drying up: Study

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The government maintained that added chemicals to the water only impact the taste and smell but pose no serious risk to human health. 

But pregnant women and people, babies, and people with health conditions are still skeptical about the consumption of tap water, saying more research needs to be done to ensure its safety. 

Some experts have warned against taking long showers, while others have reported that their water heaters had been damaged due to high amounts of sodium in the water. 

A poll conducted in May found that about half of people residing in affected areas had reduced their consumption of tap water, while 35% said they completely stopped drinking it. 

Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou announced emergency measures including lifting taxes on bottled water and distributing two liters of free water daily to 21,000 vulnerable families. He also vowed to build a new reservoir in a month.

Read more: Uruguayans condemn Google data center plan, water supply abuse

  • Uruguay
  • Drought
  • tap water

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