World Water Week special: Buenos Aires water utility leads climate fight with bold water strategies

Partner: Sanitation and Water for All (SWA)

Implementer: Agua y Saneamientos Argentinos (AySA)

Country and Region: Argentina (Buenos Aires and Metropolitan Area), Latin America

Impact/Beneficiaries: Over 14 million people in Buenos Aires and its metropolitan area

As World Water Week 2024 begins, with its theme “Bridging Borders: Water for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future,” the spotlight shines on the critical link between water management and climate change. In Buenos Aires, Agua y Saneamientos Argentinos (AySA) – supported by Race to Resilience partner, Sanitation and Water for All – is at the forefront of addressing these challenges, implementing a range of innovative strategies to ensure the city’s water resilience in an era of increasing environmental pressures.

Water is among the most vulnerable resources impacted by climate change. Across the globe, shifting weather patterns are leading to more intense and unpredictable precipitation, exacerbating both floods and droughts. In Argentina, these changes are being felt acutely. The country has experienced more frequent heavy rain events, resulting in severe flooding that overwhelms urban infrastructure and contaminates water supplies. Conversely, prolonged droughts are depleting river flows and groundwater, putting additional strain on water availability for agriculture, industry, and households.

Climate change also threatens water quality. Warmer temperatures contribute to harmful algal blooms in freshwater bodies, while increased rainfall can wash pollutants into rivers and lakes, further degrading water supplies. In the Andes, the melting of glaciers – an essential source of fresh water during dry seasons – is reducing long-term water availability. Meanwhile, rising sea levels are causing saltwater intrusion into coastal aquifers, compromising vital groundwater sources.

In response to these challenges, Agua y Saneamientos Argentinos (AySA), which provides water and sewage services to over 14 million people in Buenos Aires and its metropolitan area, has taken steps to build resilience against the impacts of climate change.

One of AySA’s primary achievements has been the reduction of water losses by 13% over the past decade. This was accomplished through the implementation of a Non-Revenue Water Control Action Plan, which has improved the efficiency of water network management. By ensuring that more water reaches consumers, AySA is helping to conserve this precious resource in a city where climate variability increasingly threatens supply.

Energy efficiency has been another cornerstone of AySA’s strategy. The company has managed to reduce energy consumption in its wastewater treatment plants by 50%, a significant reduction that not only cuts operational costs but also lowers the carbon footprint of the city’s water infrastructure. This energy-saving effort is part of a broader initiative to integrate renewable energy into its operations, including the use of photovoltaic power plants, wind farms, and biogas. These renewable sources contribute to a 22.4% reduction in AySA’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Looking to the future, AySA is pioneering a pilot project focused on the reuse of water from wastewater treatment plants. This project includes the removal of groundwater contaminants using advanced technologies, aiming to maximise water resources and support a circular economy.

AySA’s efforts in Buenos Aires are a key part of driving momentum in the Race to Resilience, a global campaign uniting partners to build climate resilience for vulnerable communities worldwide.

Join the Race to Resilience and support efforts to protect our communities and secure essential resources in the face of climate change.