The National Secretariat of Water (Senagua) says that as soon as the geotubes are ready next month, the dredging of the Guayas river will commence. Waiting on the geotubes has put the project behind schedule.

The geotextile tubes used to dredge the river gets filled with sediment, drained of water, and eventually moved.

These tubes will help transfer 290,000 cubed metres of silt, in four sections, from the riverbed to the El Palmar islet, says Walter Solís, a Senagua representative. El Palmar is in the middle of the Guayas River across from the La Puntilla neighbourhoods.

“The geotubes are made to very exact specifications, defined by the type of sediment and the terrain where they will be placed. This isn’t the kind of material that you can just go to the hardware stores on Rumichaca street and buy. The Ecuadorian Navy is working on the design,” says Solís.

Senagua signed a contract in February with the Guayas Prefecture to complete the first phase of the dredging in 11 months. This phase is budgeted to cost $4 million.