Ecobreves – GUATEMALA: Amatitlán Lake Slated for Clean Up

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

GUATEMALA CITY, Feb 28 2005 (IPS) - The Guatemalan government will invest 29 million dollars to clean up Amatitlán Lake, 25 km south of the capital. The lake is full of algae and waste, which threatens to turn it into a swamp in just 10 years. Presidential commissioner Luis Flores told Tierramérica that ''the lake should be rescued for the dignity of Guatemala.''

There are plans to build a sanitary landfill solid waste, a water treatment plant and a canal with filters for the Villalobos River, one of the focal points of contamination of the lake, which covers 14.9 square km.

A recent study shows that the Villalobos River brings in some 500,000 tons of sediment annually, causing the lake to lose 70 cm of depth each year.

The project will be topped off with a facility for injecting oxygen into the water, planting of more than 40,000 trees around the lake, renewal of the sky cable car service and recuperation of the public beach.

Until about 20 years ago, Lake Amatitlán was a favorite recreation site for thousands of residents of the capital, and an exclusive location for building luxury homes.