Rural Cuenca Water Systems Face Cuts and Low Pressure Amid Dry Season

Residents in parts of rural Cuenca are currently facing challenges with their potable water supply. Two of the four community water systems, which collectively serve about 24,000 users in the Cuenca canton's rural areas, are experiencing low pressure and scheduled service cuts. This situation is attributed to the ongoing dry season and a lack of rainfall.

The community water systems of Baños and Nero have both implemented scheduled suspensions. These measures are a direct response to the reduced water flows available for treatment and distribution through their reserve tanks.

Specifically, the Baños Potable Water Administrative Board began implementing nightly cuts last Tuesday. These suspensions occur for six hours, from 10:00 PM to 4:00 AM, affecting 3,000 of its 10,200 users. Areas primarily impacted include Narancay and El Arenal. Carlos Fajardo, technical head for the Baños board, explained that the flow into the system's two treatment plants has decreased significantly. The Cochapamba plant saw its flow drop from 80 to 68 liters per second (l/s), while the Rudio plant's flow reduced from 30 to 24 l/s.

The Nero Project, which supplies over 7,000 users, has been experiencing service suspensions since late August and early September. The announced cut schedules for Nero generally run from 8:00 PM to 5:00 AM. Sectors frequently affected include San Antonio de Gapal, San José de la Playa, Castilla Cruz, San Juan Loma, Corazón de Jesús de El Valle, Barrio Unido, and El Despacho.

In contrast, the community systems of Patamarca and Checa are not currently reporting issues with their potable water supply, despite the dry season. Rosa Pinduisaca, president of the Patamarca-San Andrés Potable Water Administrative Board, noted that their system, serving 5,100 users, remains stable because it receives water from the Chanlud and El Labrado dams, managed by Elecaustro. Mario Fajardo, secretary of the Checa Potable Water Administrative Board, confirmed no planned cuts for their 2,000 users, though he cautioned that if current dry conditions persist, service cuts could potentially occur in approximately two months.

Sources: elmercurio.com.ec.

Image: AI-generated illustration.