Water Supply Service Improvement and Extension Project

Summary

The project can be defined as the extension, upgrading and subsequent use of the Chuquiaguillo drinking water supply system in the macro-district Periférica (Districts 11, 12 and 13) of La Paz, Bolivia, including raw water transmission, a new water treatment plant (WTP) with a capacity of 300 l/s, and extension of the distribution network. Over 22,000 households will have new or improved access to drinking water.

Location

Chuquiaguillo, La Paz

Sector

Water

Applicant

Ministry of Environment and Water

Competent Authority

Vice-Ministry of Water

Parties Involved

Technical assistance implementation phase: Royal HaskoningDHV, the Netherlands Supervision: Asociación Accidental Acciona Ingeniería – Cypla, Bolivia Construction WTP: Asociación Accidental Bolivia, Bolivia DESCOM: Empresa Unipersonal “Sceproins” Servicios de Consultoría en Proyectos e Investigación Social, Bolivia

Project number

ORIO11/BO/01

Total project costs / Total ORIO Grant amount

32,000,000 Euro / 7,891,740 Euro

Status project

Implementation Phase

The cities of La Paz and El Alto are provided with drinking water by four, independent but interlinked, water supply systems (El Alto, Achachicala, Pampahasi and Tilata). These current systems together have insufficient capacity to deliver water supply services to the populations of La Paz and El Alto. Specifically in El Alto and the north eastern hillsides of La Paz, the Chuquiaguillo area, it is a challenge for the municipal government and utility companies to provide adequate service to the population in this area.

The project concerns reallocation of water resources and the construction of a new independent water supply system for the Chuquiaguillo service area. The main project components include:

• raw water capitation and transport;
• water treatment plant (max capacity 300 l/s;
• transmission main (approx. 17 km);
• distribution system (approx. 30 km);
• technical assistance to drinking water company EPSAS;
• DESCOM: community development and awareness raising activities.

The interventions in the Chuquiaguillo system will be implemented in parallel with the construction of the Hampaturi Alto Dam. Once the Hampaturi Alto dam is taken into operation, the Incachaca dam, which currently provides water to the Pampahasi water treatment plant, will be used exclusively for the supply of raw water to the Chuquiaguillo water treatment plant.