Chile advances bill to crack down on water theft, pollution

The lower house of the Chilean congress approved a bill to strengthen punishments against illegal water extractions and pollution.

The proposal increases fines and punishes with jail those found guilty of more serious crimes. It sets a minimum 20-year sentence for those who repeatedly extract or pollute water that causes “grave damage” to the environment or “grave risks” to the health of the population, the bill reads.

Tougher legislation is needed against those who today only receive a fine for stealing water and affecting the livelihood of other people, Cristina Girardi, an opposition lawmaker and one of the bill’s authors, was quoted as saying by Radio Biobío.

Illegal extraction of water in areas that are subject to water scarcity declarations or affected by drought will automatically be viewed as representing a grave risk to the public's health.

The bill now moves to the senate.