ECLAC reinforces regional collaboration for sustainable water management at the XXV CODIA and the XVI IHP-LAC Meeting in Costa Rica

ECLAC, held a talk on the Economic Valuation of Water” revealed that water management in Latin America and the Caribbean faces great challenges derived from both the shortage in critical areas and the growing demand resulting from demographic growth and economic development. This scenario requires constant investments in infrastructure—from treatment and distribution to source preservation—and a detailed analysis of the costs of production, conservation and management. He mentioned that incorporating the value of ecosystems in the price of water becomes essential to guarantee equitable access and sustainability of water resources, promoting a culture of rational and efficient use.

In this sense, he mentioned that pricing mechanisms acquire a strategic role, since they allow clear signals to be sent to users about the real cost of the resource, encouraging efficiency and promoting responsible behavior. Some countries in the region have opted for regulated prices, which seek to ensure equity and cost recovery, while others apply market prices, sensitive to supply and demand, although these require strong supervision. Taxes and payments for ecosystem services are also contemplated, tools that reinforce environmental co-responsibility and ensure that those who benefit from water contribute to the care of the basins and ecosystems that provide it.

He pointed out that regional experience shows that there are no single solutions. Chile, for example, manages a system of water use rights in a market scheme; Costa Rica stands out for its approach to payments for environmental services; and Jamaica and Mexico combine various instruments to respond to their specific challenges in industrial, agricultural and domestic uses. Rates for drinking water and residential sanitation vary widely, making it a priority to design rate policies that balance cost recovery with affordability, taking into account the economic reality of the most vulnerable sectors. Failure to adequately address inequality in family spending on water and sanitation deepens social gaps and limits the access of the poorest population to quality service.

The recommendations aim to adopt a comprehensive approach that, in addition to cost recovery, guarantees accessibility for the low-income population. To achieve this, ECLAC suggests implementing selective subsidies and progressive tariff structures, as well as reinforcing transparency and local capacities in the administration of resources. In this way, it seeks to lay the foundations for water governance capable of being sustained in the long term and responding to current and future demands, including adaptation to climate change.

Finally, ECLAC highlighted the work of the Regional Group of Experts who are working together to guarantee universal access to water and sanitation. He especially thanked CODIA and UNESCO for the invitation and for the synergy achieved in various regional and national activities and finally, he emphasized that sustainable water management is essential to promote the necessary transformations towards a more productive, inclusive Latin America and the Caribbean. and sustainable. In this challenge, the role of technical, operational, political and prospective (TOPP) capabilities stands out as key tools to formulate and execute effective public policies, capable of responding comprehensively and proactively to the growing water demands of the region that are currently being promoted by the Executive Secretary.