Guatemala City. Lake Atitlan is one of the most beautiful lakes in the world; it has recently presented an alarming bloom of cyanobacteria turning the crystal blue waters into a green murky, smelly mess. We have reported how these events took place, the cause for the bloom and the action plan to save the lake. The Vice President of Guatemala Rafael Espada has taken the leadership to find short term, mid term and long term solutions for this problem.
He is working together with the Ministry of Environment, headed by Minister Ferrate and his technical team to present a comprehensive action plan. One part of that action plan is the immediate need to build and restore water treatment plants around the lake. 15 water treatment plants are required as a minimum to start to mitigate the environmental damage done to the water of the lake.
Yesterday the Vice President and Minister of the Environment Ferrate invited the Guatemala civil society, the academia, Governors, Mayors and representatives of the water treatment industry to present their respective proposals to address the water treatment problem for Lake Atitlan. The event took place at University del Valle, UDV, from 15:00 pm to 19:00 pm.
The UDV Auditorium could not hold all the people who wanted to participate in this important event. Over 250 people showed up, the expected attendance was 50 people. Students, friends of Lake Atitlan- "Todos por el Lago", University Mariano Galvez, University San Carlos, research experts from University del Valle, representatives of the Chemical Engineers Association, and other related professionals and the media.
20 entities and companies presented their proposals for water treatment plants. There was not enough time to hear the proposals of many more companies and entities that have proposals. They will be heard by Minister of the Environment Ferrate later.
The name of the entities that presented their proposal yesterday are the following:
Artesianos
Edifica
Tecnología Eco Ambiental
Blue Planet
Geoambiente
Enterprises
Rotoplast
Sweca, S.A.
Escuela Regional de Ingeniería Sanitaria ERIS/USAC
Quimteagro, S.A. Bactu Agar
Amigos del Lago
Grupo La Joya y Ambientes Integrales
Ecotec
CEMAT
Armadillo
Universidad Mariano Gálvez de Guatemala
Ingenieros Consultores
E-consult FQB LAB
Grupo Verde Carnbu
Soluciones Analíticas
A panel of representatives of the academic and professional entities related to the subject will be in charge to select the most appropriate proposals. The process will continue for the coming week, Vice President Espada wants a solution as soon as possible.
The resources needed to address the problem are around $ 32 million dollars, probably much more. But this is the first estimation of the costs. Fortunately the Embassy of Spain has announced this week that the Spanish Government will donate $ 29.5 million dollars for water related issues in Guatemala. Half of the amount will be destined to address specifically Lake Atitlan The Mayors of the villages surrounding the lake have assumed the responsibility to provide 50% of the required funds from their respective budgets. The search to find more resources is ongoing. McDonalds is one of the local companies who has already made a commitment to raise money for the rescue of the lake.
The Vice President thanked all the participants for their time and interest, he insisted that to save Atitlan we must act as a country, not as political parties. We must unite, or we will fail.
Minister of the Environment Ferrate concluded the meeting with this statement: if there is no change in behaviour, we will not save Lake Atitlan or any other lake in Guatemala; we all have to unite to save the lake. The rapacious approach to exploitation of nature is unacceptable and unsustainable.
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This is al true but a minimum of 8 treament plants is a very short sided vue
If you want to save a lake this size and volume. You have to take a very drastic and all concequesis over seeing
step.
Treatment, education, suaer system and clean up with filtration and UV treatment
If this gouverment is serious about this plans they will need the help from all the people of Guatemala
Furtermore they need to ask for big funds from oversea's gouverments to help this project to end.
Not only the start up but the hole proces will be one of long term investments and also long term money
In return the people from guatemala will get a place were you want to go as a tourist.
And money will start coming in at the moment that the smell and the growed of graan alg is put to a hold.
If this project is going into the write drirection
also the green alg will deliver fuel for cars to run on
So please vice president
Keep your self on this track and do not let go of it
Willing to give my input any time if this is nessesary
Best Regards
Jakob Berkhout
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It is all wishful thinking, for the last 25 years Guatemala has consistently ruined most of what it had going for it. Prevention has never been a viable business in this country, therefore the custom is to wait for a disaster to happen and to call in the international brigade to the rescue, this in the hopes of receiving assistance funding. Then Houdini comes along and the money disappears!
The lake has been calling for attention for more than two decades, but no one cared to listen, meanwhile the local tourism board was touting Aldeous Huxley's quote, that lake Atitlan was the most beautiful in the world, to whomever would listen. As a result of these notable deaf ears, the local tourism industry is now paying dearly.
I am afraid to say that saving the lake is the task of all Guatemalans, should they come to value the opportunities offered by preserving their natural resources.
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