Chiloé Demands Government Pay $200 Million Debt to Water Delivery Transporters

The regional councilors of Chiloé are demanding that the Ministry of the Interior urgently pay a debt of over $200 million to transporters who distributed potable water during the past summer season. The debt, estimated at $245 million and extended over several months, affects six providers who provided the water distribution service in various communes of the archipelago, mainly during the summer months.

The issue was addressed in the plenary session of the Regional Council of Los Lagos (CORE) in Puerto Montt, where the Chiloé councilors expressed their concern, as the providers have fulfilled their work in Ancud, Quemchi, Chonchi, Queilen, Puqueldón, and Quellón, but are still waiting for payment for their services.

Councilor Nelson Águila described the situation as abusive, as the transporters are still waiting for the cancellation of their services, generating uncertainty for the next summer season.

Councilor Francisco Cárcamo also joined the criticism, describing the issue as unacceptable and recalling that the service was provided during the period of greatest drought in Chiloé.

The councilors cited the example of a provider in Chonchi who is owed $27 million, although she has already paid the salaries of the workers, social security contributions, truck maintenance, and fuel purchases.

In this context, the Regional Council agreed to send an official letter to the Undersecretary of the Interior and the Presidential Delegate of Los Lagos to request that the issue of the payments be resolved urgently.

Conclusion

The regional councilors of Chiloé are taking a firm stance in demanding that the government fulfill its financial obligations to the transporters who provided a vital service during the summer drought. This issue not only affects the livelihoods of the providers but also raises concerns about the reliability of the water distribution system in the region. The authorities must act quickly to resolve this situation and ensure that the necessary services are available for the next summer season.