The drought or water crisis in Uruguay from 2022 to 2023 was an event of abnormally low rainfall attributed to the La Niña phenomenon, which had major effects in Uruguayan economy and water supply.
The peak of the crisis occurred during the winter of 2023, when the reservoirs that supplied drinking water to the Montevideo metropolitan area ran almost completely dry. The Santa Lucía River, which supplies drinking water to almosts 2/3 of the Uruguayan population, reduced its volume significantly allowing brackish water to flow upstream and reach the water treatment plant of Aguas Corrientes, this caused major disruptions when such brackish water had to be distributed to the cities. The Uruguayan government then began notifying daily about the sodium and chloride concentrations measured in the water supply and the volume of water left in storage at the Paso Severino Reservoir.
The water shortage resulted in significant impacts on the local economy, and large portions of the population not having direct access to drinkable water.
While the drought began in 2018, the situation significantly deteriorated in early 2023, affecting more than 60% of Uruguay's territory with extreme or severe drought conditions between October 2022 and February 2023. Precipitation during this period was below average. This prolonged drought led to agricultural losses exceeding $1 billion and complications in the availability of drinking water. By the end of January 2023, before the water crisis i
Why this event still matters
Historical incidents shape the rules that protect people today — building codes, evacuation policy, warning systems and inspection regimes almost always trace back to a specific disaster. Studying 2022-2023 Uruguay drought alongside current events is how preparedness improves.
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