Strengthening capacities to ensure water supply
In a joint effort towards effective preparedness and response to natural disasters, five officials from the Lima Water and Sewerage Service (SEDAPAL), along with two managers from the Agua en Emergencias (Emergency Water Supply) project, conducted a key internship with their counterpart, Aguas Andinas in Santiago de Chile, from March 6 to 8 of this year. This technical visit represents an essential link of cooperation and knowledge exchange between Peru and Chile, nations confronting comparable challenges posed by the risk of earthquakes and tsunamis.
The meeting´s objective was to exchange experiences and knowledge in disaster risk management, focused on the continuity of water and sanitation services. Following the earthquake in 2010, Aguas Andinas, drawing from its extensive experience, provided invaluable insights into their integration of risk management within their organizational framework and their formulation of plans to guarantee the provision of drinking water during critical scenarios.
As a result of this exchange, it is expected that SEDAPAL officials and project managers will bring valuable lessons and tools adapted to the specific needs of the region. Possible benefits include the implementation of innovative risk analysis strategies, the development of strengthened business continuity plans, and improvements in coordination with authorities and customer management during crisis situations. This shared knowledge is most important to enhance SEDAPAL’s capacity to ensure a resilient and effective water supply in the event of major natural events, thus fulfilling the main objective of the Emergency Water Supply project.
Through the Emergency Water Supply project, Switzerland underscores its commitment to sustainability and resilience in the face of natural disasters. The initiative is a clear manifestation of Switzerland’s conviction that disaster preparedness is fundamental to sustainable development and the protection of essential human rights such as access to water, highlighting the importance of a comprehensive and collaborative approach to addressing water management challenges and emergency preparedness in urban contexts.
The Emergency Water Supply initiative is facilitated by the collaboration among SEDAPAL, Ayuda en Acción in Peru, Predes, Helvetas Peru, and with the technical and financial backing of Swiss Cooperation. This collaboration serves as an example of the positive influence of international cooperation in risk management and natural disaster preparedness, aimed at collectively tackling the global challenges posed by climate change and natural disasters.
Source: Emergency Water Supply project
Useful links:
FS Emergency Water Supply project
