Water & Waste: The week in 10 stories

ARGENTINA

The federal government is proposing to install a 10bn-peso (US$570mn) drainage pipe network to deviate excess water from La Picasa lagoon in Santa Fe province to the Paraná river.

BRAZIL

Sanepar, the water utility of Paraná state, is planning investments to improve the sanitation system in Foz do Iguaçu.

Third quarter financial results of Sanepar were promising, with the company posting a net profit of 175mn reais (US$53.5mn).

COLOMBIA

Utility Empresas Públicas de Medellín (EPM) became entangled in the Paradise Papers leak, appearing as having a "captive" reinsurance company based in the Bahamas.

COSTA RICA

The lower house approved the so-called comprehensive water resources management bill after a first debate.

MEXICO

Mexico City's legislative assembly approved funding for the construction of El Sarape waste-to-energy plant.

After the approval, a debate broke between local authorities and opposition legislators about where the funding to build the waste-to-energy plant will come from.

The newly approved federal spending budget reallocates funds to a number of major waterworks in different parts of the country.

NICARAGUA

Central American development bank Cabei will provide funds to finance a US$45.2mn sanitation project in the municipality of Bluefields, capital of the south Caribbean autonomous region.

PANAMA

The administration of water utility Idaan is readying a proposal to upgrade the current legislation governing the state-owned enterprise.