Legislation pending in Venezuela’s National Assembly would decentralize management of the country’s water resources, organize water-policy planning along ecological lines and encourage sustainable water use. The bill is one of several attempts to improve water-resource management here. The government also is upgrading its hydrologic monitoring network and tightening industrial and municipal water-quality regulations. Action on the bill has been expected this year, but few analysts dare forecast when a vote might occur given the political turmoil here as opponents of President Hugo Chávez push for a referendum on his government’s future. The legislation targets long-neglected problems. One is pollution, which has taken a serious toll on major water bodies such as lakes Maracaibo and Valencia. Another is supply. Though Venezuela has... [Log in to read more]