The board of directors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved USD 154 million in financing for the first stage of the Ypacaraí Lake Basin Sanitation Program, as part of its IDB CLIMA pilot plan focused on environmental protection and combating climate change.
The program, proposed by the Government of Paraguay, seeks to increase sanitation and wastewater treatment coverage in the lake basin, contributing to the recovery of environmentally degraded areas.
The initiative includes the rehabilitation of the Yukyry wetlands, the construction of water regulation infrastructure and the installation of a water quality monitoring centre.
Districts directly benefited from the clean up of Lake Ypacaraí
The intervention will directly benefit 235,000 inhabitants of Capiatá, Itauguá and Areguá, improving sanitation and wastewater treatment services.
Additionally, the existing system in San Bernardino will be improved through the reconstruction of the pumping line that connects to the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) existing in that city.
It is estimated that approximately 815,000 people in the basin will improve their living conditions through all these actions, while also promoting recreational use and tourism in the area.
Planned works and actions around Lake Ypacaraí
In general terms, the project promoted through the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC) includes the construction of 370 km of sewer networks, 48 km of pumping lines, 8 pumping stations, home connections and a WWTP.
All this is accompanied by plans for industrial reconversion, regulation of diffuse pollution sources, optimisation of solid waste management, reforestation and improvement of basic services.
Lake Ypacaraí, a national icon of Paraguay, is a vital natural resource and an important tourist destination, as well as a source of water supply for San Bernardino. This initiative represents a crucial step towards its preservation and environmental recovery.
