Sipakapa Water Report Raises Awareness and Gains New Supporters in Guatemala

The following blog was written by Rob Robinson, mining engineer and volunteer expert who is providing funding and techincal assistance to the Sipakapense people. Robinson is the 2008 winner of UUSC's Social Action Leadership Award.

UUSC's support for the Sipakapa indigenous community through local partner el Comisión Pastoral Paz y Ecologia (the Pastoral Commission for Peace and Ecology) is paying off.

A grant from UUSC developed the Sipakapense people's capacity to monitor the quality of their water downstream from the Goldcorp, Inc., Marlin mine in the western highlands of Guatemala. 

COPAE Engineer Fausto Valiente is responsible for taking samples of the surface water, analyzing samples with equipment purchased by UUSC, and preparing reports.

COPAE's latest annual report was presented in a meeting attended by Luis Ferrate, head of Guatemala's Ministry of Ambient and Natural Resources. It was also widely reported in the Guatemalan press.

The report reveals COPAE's findings of toxic levels of arsenic and other metals above drinking-water standards.

Based on this report, Ferrate has called for additional water-quality monitoring by his agency, COPAE, and the mining company.

Many thanks to UUSC members and supporters for their support. Without it there would be more finger pointing, denials, and conflict regarding the impacts of mining in the Sipakapa area.

For more information on the ongoing effort to protect the water in Sipakapa from the damaging effects of mining, read a May 2008 blog by Rob Robinson and April 2007 blog by Patricia Jones.