In addition to the issue of natural disasters (a.k.a. volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and tsunamis), there are also urban issues that are faced in Concepción as well as the entire country of Chile. The type of issues that appears in the city is more on the environmental side of the fence (so to speak). They faced urban issues such as air pollution and water pollution.
Some urban issues that Concepción has faced are air pollution (due to industrial and vehicle secretion) and water pollution (due to raw sewage). According to the website National Center for Biotechnology Information under the topic Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries, environmental pollution hazards can cause diarrhea, respiratory diseases in children and adults, cancers, neurological disorders, and cardiovascular disease.
Air pollution can start from industrial processes that involve the formation of dust or the release of gas. The health effects of air pollution depend on the exposure to it. In other words, I depend on what people do on a daily basis and how long they are surrounded by the pollution. Children are mainly open to pollution due to their greater exposure, and it can affect their growth as well as development.
The water supply in Concepción has been contaminated by untreated wastewater (a.k.a. raw sewage). The raw sewage comes from houses and human waste that can contain a lot of contaminants. The raw sewage can possibly overflow from a sanitary sewer after a period of very heavy rainfall. Raw sewage can also come from industrial-site drainage, discharge from sewage-treatment plants, washing water, and rainwater runoff from roofs. If left untreated, it can create a health hazard where people or livestock can come into contact with it. People can become exposed to bacteria and viruses as well as a range of illnesses.
The city of Concepción as well as the entire country of Chile didn’t leave these urban issues unnoticed. Organizations such as the Chilean Government, the Environmental Geographic Information System Planning, and the Ministry of Environment have been working on the solution. According to a Chilean website for the Ministry of Environment, they will seek to improve air quality and the quality of life to all Chileans by releasing highly efficient heating and removing an equal number of more polluting equipment and low quality energy. Their goal for water pollution is to improve water quality, progress so far recorded in protection of water resources, place our country at the head of Latin America.