Compañía Regional Aguas Marítimas S.A.

The Citizen Participation Process for the “Aguas Marítimas” Project Advances Successfully

Informative talks were held in the Altos La Portada area in La Chimba and Coloso Cove, as well as an Open House in the heart of Antofagasta city. These events mark a new Citizen Participation Process (PAC) for CRAMSA’s “Aguas Marítimas” desalination project, as part of the Environmental Impact Study (EIA) evaluation process.

The Environmental Evaluation Service (SEA) organized the event, allowing the communities of Antofagasta to learn about the project’s details and the optimizations ap

plied to expand the regional water matrix. Participants had the opportunity to ask questions and share their opinions.

“This is an important opportunity to understand everything this major project entails. We could learn what it is about and discuss concerns about its potential impacts on our agricultural community,” explained Maritza Viza, from the Altos La Portada Agricultural Guild Association.

Jaime Saavedra, a member of AGREBUMAR, appreciated the outreach and information activity. “For our association, it is highly valuable because it allowed us to understand the project’s progress and how our submitted observations are being addressed, considering that we will have a direct relationship with CRAMSA and its project, which raises high expectations in our community,” Saavedra stated.

Leonardo Pazmiño, who participated in the Open House, said, “The project is very interesting because one of the challenges we have as a region is water supply, and being able to free up aquifers is environmentally sustainable.” He added, “It was an excellent experience because, in general, the community lacks know

ledge about environmental evaluation systems, and bringing them closer to the community for effective participation is a big step.”

Transparent Communication

One of the main goals of the Citizen Dialogues was to provide clear information and help clarify concerns about the project’s improvements, as explained by Peter Hatton, General Manager of CRAMSA. “We were able to interact directly with the community to address their doubts and discuss the optimizations the project has undergone – which also includes recommendations from the residents themselves – along with the benefits for the area, the impacts, and the company’s mitigation proposals,” Hatton said.

This new Citizen Participation Process for the “Aguas Marítimas” desalination project continues in the communities of Calama, Chiu Chiu, and Sierra Gorda, as part of the Environmental Impact Study (EIA) evaluation process.