The region of Chile that has the richest mineral deposits is also one of the most arid areas in the world (the Atacama Desert in northern Chile) and the setting for deep conlicts about water use. Through neoliberal legislation, Chile allowed mining companies to use water from the Atacama Desert. As early as 1982, the irm Cerro Colorado received a legal permit to take groundwater from Pampa Lirima (Andean highlands, Tarapacá Region). After intensive pumping in the Lagunillas wetlands, the drying-out observed from the 2000s has also generated acute tension between communities. Drawing on these examples, the article shows how laws can be used as tools for territorial colonisation, supported by a discourse of national interest.