From fear to action: Ojo de Agua’s Fight for Clean Water and Soil
WWF Bolivia
In the Ojo de Agua community, located in the municipality of Yacuiba in the Gran Chaco Autonomous Region of Tarija-Bolivia, an environmental problem has put the health of its inhabitants, their animals and the safety of their crops at risk. For years, the upwelling of oil in the area has generated concern among the families, who, without technical studies, only had empirical evidence to warn about the contamination of their soils and water sources. Uncertainty about the quality of the water used for irrigation and consumption became a latent threat to the community.
Faced with this reality, Romina Urzagaste and Dina Aliaga promoted an initiative to determine the degree of contamination in the soil and water of Ojo de Agua. Through environmental monitoring, they took water and soil samples from Quebrada Ojo de Agua, the community’s only key surface water source. Laboratory analysis revealed worrying levels of fecal coliform contamination in the water, although THP levels were low. These findings were shared with families and local authorities, who finally obtained accurate information on the water quality they consume and use for their crops.
The impact of this study has been significant. With the results in hand, families are now more informed about the environmental risks they face and the importance of better water management. In addition, the data obtained has been delivered to the president of the OTB, the community’s Water Committee and the Guaraní People’s Assembly (APG), serving as a basis for requesting soil improvement projects and water catchment works for human consumption. The most relevant thing is that now the community has concrete support to manage initiatives to mitigate oil pollution in the Ojo de Agua stream, moving towards sustainable solutions to protect their territory and their people.
