The Chilean government’s Directorate General for Water (DGA) this year will charge 28 million dollars to companies and individuals who do not utilize their consumptive and non-consumptive rights to water. Charging for an annual permit for the non-use of the resource has been in place since 2005, when the 1981 Water Code was modified in order to avoid speculation on the market.

Although there was a rainfall shortage in 2007, and therefore less water available, the number of unused water sources increased, which is a contradiction, DGA chief Rodrigo Weisner told Tierramérica.

In 2008, the total to be charged will increase 8.7 percent. The liters of water that will go unconsumed increased more than 40 percent.