Investigation Reveals Contamination Crisis in the Pilcomayo River Basin in Bolivia
Acceso Investigativo has published a series of reports on the Pilcomayo River basins and Bolivia's sub-basins water quality. This investigation, which has been shared with 23 local authorities, including representatives from municipalities, governors, legislative institutions in Tarija, Chuquisaca, and Potosí, as well as Indigenous and peasant leaders, and the Ombudsman, highlights the situation of the Pilcomayo basin and has impacted the implementation of conservation measures.
The investigation has been key for the Ombudsman to develop a project in the Pilcomayo River basin. Acceso Investigativo’s data and analysis are being used to design this project, which aims to mitigate contamination and protect the health of local communities and the environment.
Four reports detail the issues of the Pilcomayo and amplify the voices of those affected: “The Decline of Fish Kills Subsistence in the Pilcomayo,” “Illegal Gold Mining Increases Pollution in the Pilcomayo,” “Agricultural Infertility and Migration: The Traces of Mining in the Upper Pilcomayo Basin,” and “Resisting in the Pilcomayo: Toxic Metals Threaten the Health of the Weenhayek.” These reports have been disseminated through a dozen national media outlets, bringing the issue to the public and media agenda.
Acceso Investigativo’s research, which covers water quality monitoring data from 2007 to 2022, has revealed levels of contamination by heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, iron, boron, bromine, manganese, mercury, nickel, silver, zinc, and selenium. These levels exceed international and national health and environmental standards, warning of risks to public health and the environment.
Acceso Investigativo’s work has provided a deeper understanding of the environmental challenges in the Pilcomayo basin. It has also fostered collaboration and commitment from various authorities and communities to address this contamination crisis effectively.
