Abstract

The main objective of this work was to evaluate the water quality of the El Sauce estuary and its tributaries. The El Sauce estuary basin is located in the town of Laguna Verde, Valparaiso, Central Chile. Sampling took place in the summer season of 2013 and 2015, in 11 stations located along the basin, five of them distributed from its origin to its mouth in the sea and six located before entering its tributaries. Point and non-point sources downloaded in its course were identified. The direct discharge of water from a sewage treatment plant in the area of origin of the estuary, and in its middle zone the percolation of a municipal landfill, stand out for their volume. Its mouth is affected by non-point sources of domestic waters in the town of Laguna Verde. The results show that the estuary is a shallow water course, which quality Class 4 (poor) in most of its extension presents due to the content of organic matter, nutrients, chlorides, and fecal contamination, not complying with environmental regulations for any use. There is a lack of management and control plans in the use of this important resource. It has become a risk to the community, who use the water of the stream both to irrigate subsistence agriculture and for recreation with a direct contact at its mouth.