The infrastructure stands on the site of a dam that collapsed on July 19, 2021, following a severe mudslide. Access to the capture point requires passage through a 670-meter underground tunnel. The system maintains a base flow to preserve natural watercourse continuity while extracting the additional 700 liters per second destined for Quito’s Papallacta reservoir system.
The project incorporates electricity generation capacity of 14 megawatts, creating dual utility from the captured water. Muñoz emphasized that Papallacta represents the city’s largest water supply system in terms of potable water provision. The Río Blanco-Chico capture point joins existing collection systems in the region identified as Papallacta, Mica-Quito Sur, Conducciones Orientales, and Conducciones Occidentales.
The accelerated timeline addresses critical demand during the dry season from June through September, when reservoir levels decline and the city faces concurrent challenges from forest fires. The 2024 dry season marked one of the most severe on record, with wildfires consuming 2,400 hectares of vegetation. Municipal authorities indicated that reduced water reserves during dry periods impair both residential supply and firefighting capacity.
The enhanced capture capacity feeds into a complementary potable water treatment plant under construction in Calderón, scheduled for completion between December 2026 and January 2027. That facility is projected to enter operations during the first quarter of 2027, creating an integrated system to eliminate the rationing that has affected the target parishes. The municipal government frames the combined infrastructure as essential to building reserve capacity that can maintain consistent service delivery throughout seasonal variations.
This article was curated and published as part of our South American energy market coverage.
