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WaCClim Case Study // Water-Energy-Climate Nexus in Peru
Peru is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. A low-lying coastal area, with vast arid and semi-arid lands, much of Peru is liable to floods, droughts and desertification. 72% of the total number of national emergencies are due to hydro-meteorological threats.
Already struggling to secure a reliable supply to meet user’s demand, more frequent and severe natural disasters pose an increasing burden on water utilities in Peru. Huge differences in altitudes require enormous amounts of energy to distribute the water and lead to high energy costs.
Huge differences in altitudes require enormous amounts of energy to distribute the water and lead to high energy costs.
Droughts, intense rainfall or mudslides also affect drinking water and wastewater services, impacting the availability and quality of water, or damaging the utilities’ infrastructure. At the same time, providing drinking water to the population and treating wastewater are energy-intensive processes, and thus forming a significant part of a utility’s overall costs.
WaCCliM in Peru
The WaCCliM project in Peru cooperates with the General Directorate for Environmental Affairs under the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Sanitation, which is responsible for environmental policy in the water and sanitation sector including both mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
WaCCliM pilot utility of Cusco, SEDACUSCO, is already pioneering the way towards sustainable, low-carbon, urban water management.
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WaCClim websiteAbout WaCClim
The water sector is increasingly being impacted by climate change. It also contributes more than 5 percent of global carbon emissions from its energy consumption, direct emissions of greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide from wastewater systems, and water heating from end users. Water loss in distribution networks and higher than necessary energy consumption are contributing factors.
WaCCliM (the Water and Wastewater Companies for Climate Change) is working with pilot water utilities in four countries, developing a road map to guide them towards energy and carbon neutrality.