The river which supplies water to Guayaquil has high levels of pollution

Daule River

Into the Daule river flow directly countless sites of sewage, among them sewage and rainwater drainage from Daule and Santa Lucia, as well as other black streams falling from the streets of the cantons, parishes and areas settled from the Daule-Peripa dam to the Babahoyo River and to Guayaquil.

A study conducted by the Agrarian University, indicates that this river is exposed to a high degree of contamination due, mostly, to discharges of sewage, and other factors such as the misuse of pesticides and the excessive use of fertilizers whose waste end up in this affluent.

The first phase of the study included 782 measurements of 16 indicators of water quality, at each station (Pichincha, Balzar, Colimes, Santa Lucia, Daule, and La Aurora), the experts took simple samples of surface water, and it was demonstrated that in all seasons, the concentration of dissolved oxygen was below 5 milligrams per liter, which is the minimum recommended by national and international standards for the conservation of aquatic life.

Although the oxygen levels rise, the Daule River, which runs 245 kilometers to La Aurora bridge, in the North of Guayaquil, fails to exceed the minimum requirements, as during its  journey it receive water with organic matter – from the centers towns – or with excess of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) that come from the crop areas.

Another factor of contamination are the urban centers and the cattle, since they cause high concentrations of fecal coliform, that is why is not recommended for recreational use, since it has high values that would make that some sites should not be used as public resorts in Balzar and Daule.

The study recommends, as preventive measures as to reduce the problem, to educate the population to avoid pollutant discharges and that local governments improve the systems of sanitation with works of infrastructure regarding drinking water, sewerage and waste management. The President of the Republic, Rafael Correa, announced in recent days that he will implement a financial plan for  works “in 2017, to reach a 95% coverage of potable water, sewage and garbage recollection in all cantons”.