Access to free water changes life in the Zapote community in Ecuador

Duran.– On August, the community of Zapote in the Puna Isla changed the way they source fresh water for everyday activities. They went from purchasing water from tankers and carrying buckets of water in long distance walks, to receiving unlimited free water from a system build sourced by an underground water well.

As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility Plan, Omarsa considered the need to provide fresh water to the Zapote community, located next to one of the group's shrimp farms in Puná Island. This community lacked a drinking water system and did not have access to a source of fresh water that could be used in human and productive activities.

The project consisted in the construction of an elevated tank that works as a reservoir and as a groundwater distribution system obtained from a well located at 1.7 kilometers from the community. To carry out the project Omarsa donated the materials and provided technical advice and supervision during the construction phase while, the community contributed with the labor required to carry out the project.

The beneficiaries of this project are more than 50 families from the Zapote community who had to purchase fresh water or end up using salt water, even for consumption.