Water supply and sanitation in Ecuador

Water supply and sanitation in Ecuador

Data
Access to an at least basic water source	93% (2015) [1][2]
Access to at least basic sanitation	86% (2015) [1][2]
Continuity of supply	50% in urban areas
Financing	Subsidies and loans, both internal and external
Institutions
Decentralization to municipalities	Full
National water and sanitation company	No
Water and sanitation regulator	No
Responsibility for policy setting	Ministry of Urban Development and Housing
Sector law	No
No. of urban service providers	219
No. of rural service providers	more than 5,000

Drinking water supply and sanitation in Ecuador is characterized by a number of achievements and challenges. One key achievement is a significant increase in both access to an at least basic water source (90% in 2000 to 100% in 2015 in urban areas) ^[1] and at least basic sanitation (82% in 2000 to 89% in 2015 in urban areas). Significant increases in coverage in urban areas were achieved both by the public utility EMAAP-Q, serving the capital Quito, and the private concessionaire Interagua in the country's largest city Guayaquil. However, municipalities rely overwhelmingly upon central government investment, rather than recouping the costs at a local level. Another problem is intermittent water supply, which affects half of the urban areas. Also, only 8% of all collected wastewater is being treated. The level of non-revenue water is estimated at 65%, one of the highest in Latin America. Addressing these challenges is complicated by the atomization of the sector: A multitude of stakeholders – the Ministry of Housing, the Emergency Social Investment Fund, the Solidarity Fund, the State Bank, NGOs, municipalities and others – intervene in the sector. Despite the existence of an Interinstitutional Committee for Water and Sanitation there remains room to improve coordination.