Water and Sanitation in Peru

In Peru, millions of people lack access to drinking water. In addition, the urban population has nearly doubled in the last 30 years. This rapid growth poses a serious challenge to already limited water resources.

Many Peruvian municipalities lack water and sanitation services and, where they exist, they are often of poor quality, putting the population’s health at risk. Responsibility for the situation is shared between water and sanitation service companies and users who show poor sanitary habits. Also, participation by the populace in improving water and sanitation services is very limited.

ON THE GROUND

Uniterra’s partners in Peru are working on the relationship between service users and suppliers. They are seeking to ensure the well-being of communities by changing the habits of water consumers, limiting waste, developing the management abilities of companies and improving the coverage and quality of services. The two main action priorities aim to improve the management of companies as well as the education of users and the opening of communication spaces for users to be stakeholders in solving the problem. Active participation by the populace, municipal governments and civil society organizations, especially women’s groups, is vital to sound use of water.

UNITERRA’S PARTNERS IN PERU

EPS: Empresas Prestadoras de Servicios de Saneamiento:
EPS SEDACAJ S.A.
EPS EMAPA HUACHO S.A.
EPS EMAPA SAN MARTIN S.A.
EPS TACNA S.A.
Ministerio de Vivienda, Construcción y Saneamiento, dirección nacional de saneamiento
DIECA: Dirección de Educación Comunitaria y Ambiental, Ministerio de Educacióm
ANEPSSA: Asociatión Nacional de Entidades Prestadoras de Servicio de Saneamiento
RNPM: Red Nacional de Promoción de la Mujer