Toxic waters: Peru’s Tumbes River crisis raises cross-border alarm - Video
Communities in northern Peru are warning of a growing public health crisis linked to contamination in the Tumbes River, where water has been found to contain elevated levels of heavy metals.
The pollution is largely attributed to mining waste originating in the Portovelo–Zaruma gold mining area in Ecuador, with contaminants travelling downstream across the border.
A study conducted by the Regional Health Directorate of Tumbes (DIRESA) between 2017 and 2018 detected concentrations of lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium above permitted standards, concluding the water was unfit for human consumption. Local residents say blood tests have shown heavy metal levels above normal ranges, while farmers report damage to crops and rejected exports. Communities are calling on authorities at all levels to prioritise access to safe drinking water, invest in treatment infrastructure and strengthen health monitoring.
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