Water & Waste: The week in 10 stories

BRAZIL

Casan, the water utility in Santa Catarina state, saw its net loss widen last year due to non-recurring expenses generated by a voluntary layoff program.

Macaé city hall, in Rio de Janeiro state, terminated the service contract of state water utility Cedae after accusations that the firm failed to invest enough to provide adequate services.

The federal police launched a probe into alleged wrongdoings including money laundering in past contracts of Saneago, the water utility in Goiás state.

CHILE

Local corporation Reguemos Chile is set to formally submit its US$25bn "water highway" irrigation project to the public works ministry (MOP) as a private sector initiative in April.

Water holding firm Aguas Nuevas and water utility Esval are planning to invest a total of US$355mn to improve their service quality and prevent water cuts as a result of climate change.

MEXICO

Negotiations between national water authority Conagua and Spanish firm Abengoa on the construction of the El Zapotillo-León aqueduct are reportedly still ongoing.

AMLO pledged to commission a team of experts to carry out an analysis of whether a brewery, which critics claim will help deplete a local acquifer, should be built in Baja California.

Mexico's water authority Conagua decided to terminate a contract related to last year's failed attempt to connect two lines of the Cutzamala water distribution system in Mexico City.

Veolia México shut down access to El Tronconal, a landfill serving Xalapa, capital of Veracruz state, due to a reported 31mn pesos (US$1.6mn) debt from municipal authorities.

RUGUAY

The head of state-owned water utility OSE, Milton Machado, said the firm will invest US$110mn a year in water infrastructure works until 2024.