Support for implementation of Water + Work Plan in Argentina

(Buenos Aires, May 3, 2011).- CAF - Latin American development bank - and AySA (Agua y Saneamientos Argentinos S.A.) signed an agreement to set up work cooperatives and provide training in operating techniques for implementing drinking water networks and high quality, safe house connections. Participants in the event included Alvaro Garcia, CAF director representative in Argentina, and Carlos Humberto Ben, president of AySA.

The Water + Work Plan is an Argentine government initiative whose aim is to give low-income communities access to drinking water networks, and generate long-term sources of work by forming work cooperatives.

"With this action, CAF is participating with a program which will benefit 1,500 families by improving their quality of life based on creation of three cooperatives which will build drinking water connection modules," Álvaro García said. The funds granted by the Latin American financial institution will be used for training and materials for execution of works.

The value of the Plan is based on cooperation and joint social work by all the actors involved. The cooperatives work on installing networks and household connections, AySA provides the project and its financing, training, materials and supervision, while the municipalities manage the work, grant the necessary permits and collaborate with execution.

Since March 2006, the Water + Work Plan has expanded the water service to over one million inhabitants in 13 municipalities of greater Buenos Aires, creating over 2,500 jobs.

With the granting of these funds by CAF, AySA will continue cooperating with the national government's mandate to achieve universal access to drinking water, a critical factor for improving the quality of life of the population.