Cuenca, Ecuador is unique in the country for its high-quality potable water. The quality of the water is threatened in multiple ways, including from small-scale ranching. The regional entity managing water resources, ETAPA, has worked with landowners to implement a new system for providing water to cattle that is intended to reduce contamination of the river water from organic wastes. We conducted a socioeconomic analysis of the impacts to the landowners from the implementation of the system by learning how the water distribution system is used in practice and interviewing six landowners to understand how they are impacted. We found impacts on intercommunal relationships and landowner agricultural production. Additionally we addressed challenges that ETAPA faces to protect water resources.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Gilbert, Grant S.
• Dobay, Blake
• Feldman, Zeke H.
• Tracy, Christopher P.

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-022819-164301

Advisor

• Hersh, Robert
• Tuler, Seth

Year

• 2019

Sponsor

• ETAPA/MICPA

Date created

• 2019-02-28

Resource type

• Interactive Qualifying Project

Source

• E-project-022819-164301

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Last modified

• 2024-03-04