Venezuela's Water System Network Is Collapsing

Fetching water from a mountainside in the Venezuelan capital Caracas.CreditCreditMeridith Kohut for The New York Times

New York Times: Venezuela’s Water System is Collapsing

To understand how far it has deteriorated, The New York Times ran tests and found dangerous levels of bacteria.

The brick shack on the outskirts of Venezuela’s capital is crowded with tubs, jugs and buckets. The water they hold must last the family of eight for a week — but it’s not enough for frequent washing or flushing, so the kitchen is filled with greasy pots and the house smells of stale urine.

And none of the water is treated, making diarrhea and vomit a regular occurrence.

“We practically live in the bathroom,” said the mother of the family, Yarelis Pinto. Her pregnant daughter, Yarielys, sat nearby, pale and listless, recovering from her latest bout of diarrhea just one month away from childbirth.

In Venezuela, a crumbling economy and the collapse of even basic state infrastructure means water comes irregularly — and drinking it is an increasingly risky gamble. Venezuela’s current rate of infant mortality from diarrhea, which is closely related to water quality, is six times higher than 15 years ago, according to the World Health Organization.

But the government stopped releasing official public health data years ago.

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WNU Editor: I have one contact who lives in Caracus, and he told me months ago that everyone knows the water system is a threat to public health.The New York times is only a few months late. On a side note. Apparently support for the government who is responsible for this catastrophe is still strong .... Thousands Rally in Support of Maduro in Caracas (VOA).