Zamora and Chinchipe Join the Regional Water Fund
January 2010

The protection and proper management of water resources is essential to guarantee the health of the inhabitants of southern Ecuador and the harmonious development of its cities.

Even in the province of Zamora Chinchipe, where the climatic influence of the Amazon watershed generates continuous humidity and rains, the cities are experiencing growing problems obtaining high quality water in sufficient quantities. These cities are generally supplied by small watersheds, which due to a lack of protection have been deforested, adding large amounts of sediments and organic pollution to the water systems. This causes damages to the system infrastructure, and leads to expensive water treatment and distribution difficulties.

As a result, starting in January 2010, the municipal governments of Zamora and Chinchipe have joined the REGIONAL WATER FUND together with five other municipalities that are developing their watershed conservation programs in the province of Loja.

These municipalities will soon begin to charge an environmental tax to all water users, which will be invested in protecting water resources and in compensation for environmental services, supported by FORAGUA.

It is hoped that in 2010 additional municipalities will join this financial mechanism for the protection of water and biodiversity in southern Ecuador.