UTEC and SUNASS join forces to promote sustainable management of water resources

World Water Day is celebrated every year on March 22nd, for this reason UTEC has joined forces with several institutions such as: SUNASS, Peru’s National Water Authority (ANA), Switzerland's State Secretary for Economic Affairs (SECO), UN’s Development program (PNUD) and PROAGUA II-GIZ in order to organize the “Water’s Nature and Sanitation Challenges” forum. This event took place in UTEC’s main auditorium and it focused primarily in the sharing of experiences and opportunities that would help in the adequate management of both rural and urban water sanitation services with a sustainability approach.

One of the main subjects of discussion was the importance of having “green” infrastructure, this would not only allow access to high quality water but also to make the service sustainable.

“Taking care of the vegetation in order to benefit from the rain water is fundamental, but in order to manage it properly we have to find ways of communicating with the people and get them to understand how important it is to take care of the ecosystem.” Luis Acosta, SUNASS sanitation expert.

According to INEI’s 2016 poll, there are more than 10 million people without access to drinkable water, that’s equivalent to the 16,3% of Peru’s population. We also found out that the areas of Ucayali, Pasco and Loreto which are part of the Atlantic Ocean’s and lake Titicaca’s slopes, are under 70% in public water sanitation services. Early 2016 results show that in urban areas, 93 of every 100 people have access to a public sanitation network, but in rural areas its only 60 in 100 people who do. There is a wide gap and it is the job of academics, researches and authorities to reduce it.

Taking this into account, Maria del Carmen Sacasa, Peru’s Resident Coordinator for the United Nations, in line with the 2030 agenda for sustainable development, announced that the “decade of water” begins this year. “From now on and until the year 2028 we will work hard in making water not a privilege but a right for everyone. We’ll focus in access, quality and protecting the sources, because water is fundamental for the achieving of every other objective that we have.”

Also, Jorge Abad, the head of the Environmental Engineering program and also head of UTEC’s research and water technology center insisted on the need for scientists and authorities to approach the subject in a large scale so they can get a wider perspective on how projects impact our environment. “Along with the support of different entities, CITA and UTEC hold a special interest in addressing circumstantial issues, such as the Amazonian Hidrovia and the impact it has on the geomorphology and quality of the water in the areas that have illegal and informal mining activities”, he said.

Thanks to this kind of events, CITA keeps placing itself as a center for education and research, working alongside experienced and prestigious researchers.