Peru, Apurímac: Ministry launches pilot potable water plan for conflict areas

Updated - Monday 21 September 2009

Peru’s housing, construction and sanitation minister Francis Allison has announced a pilot potable water project in Apurímac region as part of a plan to provide services in areas of conflict. The project seeks to relocate small communities and create new city models.

“Geography and distance work against state investments in water and sewerage, especially in communities of only 40 families that are located in mountainous or jungle areas,” Allison said.

One of the minister’s approaches is to create strategic alliances with private companies that have corporate social responsibility programmes. An agreement was already signed with Swiss-based mining group Xstrata to finance the water and sewerage works in Apurímac.

Disorganisation at all levels of the government is hindering access to potable water and sewerage services, and is impeding the creation of good pre-investment projects, according to NGO Agua Limpia’s director Mercedes Castro. Personnel must be trained and the management capacity of local operators must be improved, Castro said, adding that the local population must also be made aware of good water use.

Under the national Agua para Todos Rural (PRONASAR) (water for everyone) programme, the state has invested 2.29 billion soles (US$ 806 million = € 548 million) in 1,911 projects throughout the country from August 2006 to date.

Related news: WASH in conflict zones, Source Bulletin, August 2009.

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