Gestión comunitaria del agua. Caso de estudio de la Junta de agua potable de Santa Rosa de Pichul

Abstract

The study on community water management in the Santa Rosa de Pichul Water Board is framed within Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), analyzing how community selfmanagement in rural Andean areas faces demographic pressures, climate change impacts, and regulatory challenges, while integrating principles of the Andean cosmovision in the protection of water as a human right and a common good. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, the study identified that community work (mingas), active participation, and local leadership have sustained a functional service for over 30 years, ensuring equitable access to water and fostering the inclusion of women and youth in decision-making processes. The study highlights the organizational resilience and adaptive capacity of the Santa Rosa de Pichul Water Board, demonstrating how community commitment and social co-responsibility strengthen the system’s sustainability, even in the face of limitations related to coverage, water quality, and lack of funding. Furthermore, it shows that water boards are key actors in local water governance, contributing to source protection and the responsible use of the resource. However, the study identified limitations due to weak articulation with the state’s legal framework, the lack of technical assistance, and the exclusion of community spaces in public policy decision-making. It concludes that consolidating this model requires an environment that integrates technical support, financing, and respect for community autonomy, ensuring the human right to water in Ecuador’s rural areas