Latin America; in English (pdf) - Transboundary Freshwater Dispute ...

Woman earns income by selling craftwork and posing for pictures in traditional dress, riverside park, Peru. Photo credit: Keith M. Davis.
have reduced the necessary labor force in rural
areas, are causing people to move to the cities
(Jáuregui 2000). As a result of this influx of citydwellers,
industrial and domestic water
consumption will rise and pollution will increase,
particularly since sanitation services are already
behind the demand. While many international
basins in South America are projected to see a
decrease in population over the next two decades
(Patia, Mira, Zarumilla, Valdivia, and Chira), the
majority are expected to grow substantially,
increasing the amount of stress on the water
resources. The La Plata Basin, the most waterstressed
basin on the continent, is estimated to
see an increase in population of more than
22 million, reducing the amount of available
water per capita by almost 40% (TFDD 2004).
As industry expands, economic development
will also increase the demand for freshwater,
and the need for energy to power this growth
will require South American countries to look
toward remedies. With hydropower being a large
potential source of energy in the region, many
countries will explore possibilities of expansion
in that direction.
3.2.3.2 Poverty
South America is a poor continent compared
with North America and Europe. The average
GDP per capita is approximately $3,274 (DOE
1998), the poorest country being Bolivia, at
$2,400, and the wealthiest being Uruguay, at
$12,600 (CIA 2003). Issues of water quality
and access are already major concerns among
all the nations of South America, but with such
high levels of poverty in some of the international
basins (see Map 5a), the problems are only
exacerbated. The Lake Titicaca basin is a prime
example. Of Peruvians in the basin, 73% live
under the poverty line; the Bolivians do not fare
much better at 70% (UNESCO 2003b). Both
populations are among the poorest in each
country. While poverty is not the root of vulnerability
of international basins, it plays a key role
in their management. As can be seen in the River
Basin Organizations Sheet, most of the RBOs
have economic development of the watersheds
as a primary goal. The social and economic
development of populations in the basins contributes
to the well-being of the water systems in that
Chapter 3. Hydropolitical Vulnerability, South America — 63