They got fresh water from the Chubut River, which is south of Puerto Madryn. Welsh people sailed to Argentina in the 1800's and they landed in this area. They dug canals to gain direct water from the Chubut River, which they used to grow wheat. They sold wheat to other parts of the country. Boats left from Puerto Madryn to bring wheat to Buenos Aires.
The population of Puerto Madryn has been growing steadily for the past two hundred years. Now there are about 95,000 people living here. The people who live here still rely on fresh water fromt the Chubut River. Water is transported to the city through pipes and it passes through a water treatment plant. People here are very aware of how imporant and scarce water is. People are very careful not to waste water. Some buildings use recycled water. Many public bathrooms have signs reminding people not to leave the water running while they wash their hands. The people of Puerto Madryn know that water is something that everyone needs to survive!
