Yesterday the Governor of the Department of Tarija, Oscar Montes Barzón, on the occasion of the visit of the Ambassador of the European Union (EU) in Bolivia, Michael Dóczy, promulgated the Departmental Decree 042/2022 of Conformation of Inter-institutional Platforms for the Strengthening of the Departmental Policy of Integrated Water and Sanitation Management.
The decree is the result of the project "Improving Governance for the design, implementation and monitoring of sustainable policies for integrated water and sanitation management in the department of Tarija", supported by the European Union (EU).
The project was undertaken by a synergy of important institutions such as the Departmental Government of Tarija, the Universidad Autónoma Juan Misael Saracho (Uajms), Fundecor and the NGO Protección del Medio Ambiente Tarija (Prometa).
The director of the Departmental Service for Integrated Water Management (Sedegia), Alan Echart, pointed out that one of the most important results of the project is the creation of inter-institutional water and sanitation platforms, spaces for consultation between public and private actors to discuss and resolve water issues such as sanitation, treatment plants, drinking water, irrigation, and water for production.
He explained, for example, that the project developed, through the Uajms, mechanisms, regulations and instruments -with the use of technology- for water use; he also added that different public-private alliances were developed to work on the issue.
Finally, he emphasized that the project has an educational component that has been reflected in the broadcasting of advertising spots and other materials over the years. The contents focus mainly on saving water, preserving and caring for water sources, as well as caring for the Guadalquivir River, among others.
The purpose of the decree
The new Departmental Decree aims to develop and strengthen the Departmental Policy of Integrated Water and Sanitation Management for the Department of Tarija, thus recognizing the Departmental Water Platform - PDA, as a legitimate space, from where proposals for solutions to be taken into account in public policies may be born.
At the ceremony, the Governor thanked the European Union for its collaboration and highlighted the work of the Director of Sedegia, together with the heads of non-governmental organizations such as Prometa, who worked on the preparation of this decree, which makes all the goals for the adequate use of water feasible.
"I think it is important that civil society works to find solutions to the problems of water use and it seems to me that the decree is tailored to Tarija, because it respects all the progress we have in legislation and in our customs and traditions. This decree creates spaces where the Tarija society will meet to find solutions," he said.
Montes detailed that it is necessary to generate norms that regulate the administration of the water systems and the use of the liquid element, to work in the projection and planning of programs that invest the department's resources correctly, and contribute to the transformation of the economic engine, taking into account that this new stage began with the reduction of hydrocarbon reserves and the income from oil revenues.
The European Union Ambassador in Bolivia, Michael Dóczy, ratified his commitment to the fight against climate change, environmental protection and water care: "The consequences of climate change can be seen today in Europe with the drought and we see that they are being replicated in Bolivia. The project we support seeks to form water and sanitation platforms promoted by the Departmental Government and civil society organizations, which serve to develop articulation processes for investments in water, management and recruitment of personnel for autonomous decision making on the subject," he concluded.
Note written by: Danitza Montaño T.