8,200 families will leave the Salado estuary

A lot of families, who have their homes on the shores of the Salado estuary in Guayaquil, will be inmediatly relocated, as it was announced on last Saturday by the president, Rafael Correa, during his usual nationwide broadcast as part of the decontamination of the estuary contemplated  in the Guayaquil Ecologico project.

Salado estuary. Thousands of houses are located on its shores.

Salado estuary. People live in extreme contamination exposure.

The president also said that the removal of houses will grant a place to put nature trails. The project also includes the construction of the Samanes park and bridges to connect the city with the Santay island.

Correa expects to have completed the full decontamination of the estuary by the year of 2017. “On April 2017, I will turn 54 and as a birthday present, I hope I can bathe in the Salado estuary,” said Correa.

Other measures that Correa explained:

• Some damaged houses in the estuary will receive support to improve their looks and will receive housing improvement bonds.
• The industries and factories that are draining the sewage water into the estuary will have to change their process to prevent contamination.
• Oxygenators will be placed to prevent gases and odors from the estuary.