Water Quality Study Tour

Abstract

The major rice growing regions of North Eastern Argentina, South Brazil and Uruguay were visited in association with RIRDC between 2/3/03 - 9/3/03. Currently, drainage water quality from agriculture does not appear to be of high concern to these countries mainly owing to the total area having abundant water supplies through high annual precipitation, large groundwater reserves and major river systems. There have been sporadic studies of pesticide concentrations in rice drainage water and in receiving rivers but results from these have provided little reason for further investigations or long term monitoring programmes of drainage water quality. Most concern over water quality in these countries arises from point source pollution from urbanisation. Both industry (heavy metals and hydrocarbons) and untreated human effluent continues to be a high polluter of supply water ion the form of rivers and lakes.