Ecuador activates plan to secure safe water ahead of El Niño

Ecuador has activated a plan to keep water and sanitation services running as the country prepares for the possible effects of El Niño in 2026 and 2027. The Ministry of Environment and Energy is leading the effort after the government declared a red alert nationwide.

The strategy operates through a technical working group focused on safe water, sanitation and waste management. Its four priorities are water and sanitation, waste management, support for other technical groups, and coordination with private companies.

Authorities have examined 1,360 water-related facilities across the country. The review covers 606 drinking-water treatment plants, 568 wastewater treatment plants, 174 sanitary landfills, seven dams and five diversion structures. Risk maps and simulations identified Manabí, El Oro, Los Ríos, Guayas, Esmeraldas, Santa Elena, Zamora Chinchipe and Loja as the provinces most vulnerable to landslides and flooding.

The ministry asked 86 coastal municipalities and 91 municipalities in the highlands to submit action plans, including preventive and emergency measures. Officials are also monitoring provincial projects to dredge and clear rivers in the most exposed areas, with the plan prioritizing locations between sea level and 1,500 meters in elevation.

The government is coordinating with private firms and international organizations to strengthen its response. In cooperation with the Ecuadorian-British Chamber, it is arranging the delivery of four mobile drinking-water production units from HYDRO INDUSTRIES LIMITED. Each unit can produce 60 cubic meters of water a day. Authorities are also working through UNICEF Ecuador’s WASH Cluster Coordination Group and monitoring water systems, local needs and wildfire emergencies linked to El Niño.