Ensuring sustainable water and sanitation services in Portoviejo, Manabí, Ecuador
A Lazos de Agua Project
As part of the Lazos de Agua program, this project in Portoviejo, Ecuador, combines infrastructure development, behaviour change, and institutional strengthening to ensure sustainable access to water and sanitation services in both urban and rural areas.
The construction of water and sanitation infrastructure in the parish capitals is led by the municipality through the Triple A Plan, with financial support from the IDB–FONAPRODE and the European Investment Bank (EIB). The system includes water intake from the Poza Honda reservoir, a treatment plant, and a 47 km distribution network supplying eight distribution tanks—one for each parish capital—and the community of San Gabriel.
In dispersed rural communities, water and sanitation systems are being implemented by the Project Management Unit, with funding from AECID–FCAS and AECID–LAIF.
Local partner FEPP is responsible for promoting key water-related behaviours—such as connecting to the water system, paying service tariffs, and handwashing—while also strengthening local service providers to ensure long-term sustainability. One Drop supports these efforts through technical assistance and co-financing, using its Social Art for Behaviour Change™ approach to foster community engagement and lasting impact.
