Sewage crisis pollutes Encarnación's streams, beaches at risk

Encarnación faces a severe environmental crisis as untreated sewage is repeatedly discharged into local streams, primarily the Poti'y, due to constant failures in the sewage pumping system. A civil lawsuit, initiated by the Municipality of Encarnación with support from the environmental organization Coordinadora de Defensa del Poti'y, targets the Entidad Binacional Yacyretá (EBY) and Empresa de Servicios Sanitarios del Paraguay (Essap).

EBY is responsible for maintaining the pumping system, while Essap is accused of collecting sewage service fees without investing in necessary upkeep. This situation highlights a broader issue in Paraguay where institutions collect payments but fail to deliver adequate services. The pollution, however, extends beyond sewage, with the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (Mades) and local municipalities of Encarnación and Cambyretá also implicated for their inaction in controlling other contaminants entering the streams.

Experts warn that the unchecked pollution poses a direct risk to Encarnación's beaches, a key tourist attraction. The slow-moving waters in the sub-embanked riverbeds are particularly vulnerable to contamination, with limited self-purification capacity. Unfulfilled mitigation projects, planned before the reservoir's water level was raised, further compound the problem. While immediate improvements might occur due to sewage system repairs and the El Niño phenomenon, the risk of re-contamination remains high. The city's ambition to be a tourist destination hinges on resolving this crisis through coordinated political will and defined responsibilities among EBY, Essap, Mades, and the municipalities.