Southern Cone infra and water watch

Chile’s public works ministry (MOP) will invest 130bn pesos (US$142mn) in 85 infrastructure projects for the national police (Carabineros). 

Works include renovating police stations, training facilities and medical centers, according to ministry documents.

Four projects have been finished this year, 17 are underway, construction tenders were launched for nine, tenders for 20 are about to be launched, seven are in the design phase, eight in the design tender phase, and for 20 projects design tenders are about to be launched.

The full list of projects can be seen here, in Spanish.

PARAGUAY

Legislators and government authorities are looking to reactivate a project to build a second bridge linking to Brazil across the Apa River, which was part of a 2018 binational agreement and ratified by Paraguay’s congress the following year. 

Under the agreement, Paraguay will finance the project. The public works ministry (MOPC) plans to obtain financing from Latin American development bank CAF, according to a press release.

The structure was initially estimated to cost US$7mn-US$8mn, but the amount needs to be updated, public works minister Rodolfo Segovia told the senate’s public works committee.

The 200m bridge will link the town of San Lázaro in Paraguay’s Concepción department and the municipality of Porto Murtinho in Brazil’s Mato Grosso do Sul state, according to the Brazilian embassy in Asunción.

A first binational bridge, across the Paraguay River, is under construction and will link to Carmelo Peralta municipality.

URUGUAY

State-owned water utility OSE is expected to approve a US$20mn privately built wastewater treatment plant in the town of Aguas Corrientes, Canelones department.

The proposal was presented by construction firm Teyma and French group Suez, which would assume the investment risk, build the plant and operate it for 15 years, daily El Observador wrote, based on a report CEO Arturo Castagnino submitted to OSE’s board.

Board approval would allow to start feasibility studies for the 37,000m3/d treatment plant. 

Previously, OSE approved the US$250mn Neptuno potable water plant, also proposed by a private player. But the plant has faced pushback from worker’s representatives and the opposition Frente Amplio party, which claim it could lead to the privatization of water services.