A public-private partnership project enabled the repair and improvement of the facility managed by residents.
On the shores of La Ballena beach in Los Quinquelles, the region's first desalination plant has resumed operations, aiming to supply drinking water to more than 800 people, after being shut down for almost a year due to a break in the intake structure. The reopening ceremony was led by Mayor Patricio Pallares; Valentina González, Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability Manager of Coca-Cola Chile; Antonia Rivera, Executive Director of the Amulén Foundation; Rosa Cifuentes of the Rural Drinking Water Committee (APR); and local residents. The plant now features automated processes that will allow it to increase water production for the community up to five times.
The project, called "Water for Los Quinquelles," was made possible through a public-private partnership between the Amulén Foundation, Coca-Cola Chile, The Coca-Cola Company Foundation, the Global Environment & Technology Foundation (GETF), and the Municipality of La Ligua. The Chilean company Remote Waters was in charge of the design and execution of the works. Antonia Rivera explained that "the municipality is one of the most affected by water scarcity. According to the General Directorate of Water (DGA), 40 water scarcity decrees have been declared between 2008 and 2023, and the area currently has one in effect until August 12 of this year. This clearly reflects how this situation has worsened in recent years and has direct consequences for communities and individuals. Due to this complex situation, we created this strategic alliance with the goal of increasing the water supply for each resident of this area, thus improving their quality of life."
The initiative seeks to improve the operation of the area's desalination plants through a new intake point and automated processes. This innovation will increase the water supply to 50 liters per person per day and projects a maximum production of 105 liters per person per day. The project benefits the Rural Potable Water Committee (APR) and the residents of Los Quinquelles, in the Playa La Ballena sector, comprising 805 people, who currently obtain their water from various sources, including desalination plants, private water trucks, and, due to the water emergency, water trucks provided by the Regional Government and the Municipality. Nationwide, only five APRs are supplied by desalination plants, and the Los Quinquelles APR is the first in the region.
While the Municipality of La Ligua is responsible for operating the plants, the Los Quinquelles Rural Potable Water Committee (APR) handles water distribution via tanker trucks. Therefore, the project included technical training for local residents to provide them with the tools for operating and maintaining the desalination plants. "We believe this will significantly alleviate our shortcomings and help improve our quality of life, as we will have better access to and production of excellent quality water. We hope this project will be the beginning of developing a Rural Potable Water System (SSR) that will allow us to have water directly in our homes and not depend exclusively on tanker trucks. On behalf of our entire Los Quinquelles APR-SSR community, we want to thank Coca-Cola and the Amulén Foundation," concluded Rosa Cifuentes of the Los Quinquelles APR Committee.