Acuífero Patiño
The groundwater that supplies much of Greater Asunción, stored in the conglomerates and sands of the Patiño Formation.
What it is
The Patiño Aquifer occupies a triangular basin between Asunción, the Paraguay River and the Villa Hayes area, covering about 1,770 km² according to university studies (other sources give somewhat different figures). Its name comes from the “Patiño conglomerate”, which geologist Spinzi described in 1983 from Cerro Patiño in Areguá. The formation averages about 150 m thick: conglomerates at the base and sandy sediments toward the top, which hold the water.
According to university studies and press reports, more than two million people draw on it, mostly in Central department. That is why overexploitation and contamination are central issues in water management for the metropolitan area.
How to visit
It cannot be visited, but you “see” it in the wells of Greater Asunción neighbourhoods. Cerro Patiño, which gave it its name, is in Areguá.
Related place
Areguá · Central
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Cerro Patiño (Ybytypané)
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Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 4 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.