The Water Battles Continue...

The guardians of the bloqueo

The people of Alto Mirador and the other barrios in this area a few kilometers south of Cochabamba began a bloqueo today aimed at improving their access to water. They currently receive dirty--sometimes bug-infested--water irregularly, with low pressure, and at a high price. They have been waiting years for the installation of a water tank. Raymundo Cassia, the elected head of Alto Mirador´s water committee told me this afternoon that head of SEMAPA, Cochabamba´s civic water project, shut the door in their faces and is refusing to meet with them. At last report, six representatives of these barrios had headed into the center to meet with the mayor. Raymundo said they will maintain the bloqueo until they are assured of a specific date when the promised tank will be completed and promised an adequate amount of water. Needless to say, those in the wealthy neighborhoods north of the center have water in abundance seven days a week.