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Montevideo's construction boom strains old water pipes, forces costly upgrades
🇺🇾 Uruguay /Energy & Infrastructure

Montevideo's construction boom strains old water pipes, forces costly upgrades

From El País · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Montevideo's "promoted housing" policy has led to a boom in construction, with over 1,270 projects active.
  • Older buildings in central neighborhoods now require costly pressure pumps because the aging water infrastructure cannot meet increased demand.
  • The issue affects buildings with two to three stories, forcing residents to pay between $90,000 and $105,000 for new tanks and pumps.

Montevideo's central neighborhoods are experiencing a significant urban transformation driven by a "promoted housing" policy, which has spurred a construction boom with over 1,270 active projects. This rapid development, however, has strained the city's century-old water infrastructure, leading to a critical issue for residents in older, low-rise buildings.

the pressure (which is measured in kilogram force per square centimeter) of the sanitary network stopped being sufficient for the water to reach the reserve tanks located on the upper floors, from which it is distributed downwards to each of the homes.

— El PaísExplaining the technical issue of insufficient water pressure in older buildings.

The aging water pipes, some over a hundred years old, struggle to cope with the increased demand from densely populated new buildings. Consequently, many buildings, typically two or three stories high, are forced to install ground-floor tanks and pressurizing pumps. This is because the water pressure from the municipal network is no longer sufficient to reach the reserve tanks on upper floors, from which water is distributed to individual homes.

For a modest 15-meter-high building, the cost of installing a new tank and pump system can range from $90,000 to $105,000. This expense has become a necessary burden for apartment dwellers in affected buildings. Technicians and OSE (Uruguayan Water and Sanitation Corporation) officials confirm that this solution is becoming increasingly common, particularly in neighborhoods like Cordón and Centro, as well as Aguada, Palermo, Tres Cruces, and Ciudad Vieja. The Association of Property Administrators (Adapi) also notes a rising demand for such systems in older properties, while new constructions above three stories now commonly incorporate pumping systems as a requirement due to insufficient pressure.

the budget for the installation of a new tank and a pressure pump is around $90,000 and $105,000.

— El PaísDetailing the significant cost incurred by residents to address the low water pressure.

While Adapi does not attribute the problem solely to the construction boom, acknowledging other contributing factors, the situation highlights a growing tension between urban development and the maintenance of essential public infrastructure. The need for costly upgrades to individual buildings underscores the challenges of managing a rapidly evolving cityscape.

the demand for this type of solution has become increasingly frequent for older properties.

— Association of Property Administrators (Adapi)Confirming the growing trend of installing pressure systems in older buildings.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El País in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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