New Padre Hurtado Plant inaugurated to strengthen the drinking water supply of one million people in the eastern area of the RM

For more than a decade, the country’s main sanitation, Aguas Andinas, has implemented a series of initiatives as a commitment to adaptation, sustainable development and water security of the city, in the midst of the most serious water crisis on record, with 14 years of drought.
One of them is the expansion and modernization of the Padre Hurtado de La Reina plant, one of the most important production systems in the city, which will strengthen the supply of drinking water for more than one million people (250,000 customers) in six communes in the eastern sector: Ñuñoa, Providencia, Las Condes, La Reina, Lo Barnechea and Vitacura.
One of the areas most affected by the severe drought, where the Mapocho River no longer provides the necessary or sufficient water to meet demand. Now, thanks to these works, the maximum production flow of the plant increased, from 1,300 to 2,300 liters per second.
This renovated plant, which was inaugurated in 1997, has significant changes with respect to the original design, with state-of-the-art technology, to ensure an increasingly efficient and safe production in a scenario of deep water scarcity. Its modernization generated more than 180 jobs and meant an investment of $ 17,000 million.
The general manager of Aguas Andinas, Marta Colet, pointed out that “in this place is one of the most important plants in the Metropolitan Region and as our commitment is to adapt the city and make our service increasingly robust, we have to be constantly modernizing our processes and making our production more efficient. ”
“The new Padre Hurtado plant will provide us with more resilience and reinforce the supply of drinking water in the face of extreme turbidity events or other situations that alter the normal condition of the Mapocho River,” he explained.
This project added state-of-the-art technology to the original design, with a new treatment line that includes pre-decanters, mechanical flocculators, decanters and new filter batteries, a new desander, remote control, process automation, centralized management, automatic filter washing and chlorine production from salt.
The president of the board of directors of Aguas Andinas, Felipe Larraín, explained that this initiative “is part of a robust investment plan because we know that Santiago needs more sanitary infrastructure to be a more resilient and prepared city. Just as in August we inaugurated the Cerro Negro-Lo Mena wells in the southern sector of the city, today we are in the eastern sector, because we are making every effort to face the effects of climate change in a better way.”
“We have been 14 years into the most severe drought on record and we have not suspended the supply. Our main commitment is to a safe and continuous supply of drinking water in the city, so we are looking for all options and alternatives that allow us to continue ensuring that service, “he added.
Ensuring access to water
Likewise, the Minister Secretary General of Government, Camila Vallejo, said that “this not only benefits the communes represented by their authorities, but also the region, the country and the planet.”
“It is works like these that fulfill the true purpose for which we are where we are, which is, first of all, to improve people’s lives, but also to guarantee access to a human right: water. Works like this are fundamental to solve the emergencies that are emerging and whose solution lies not only in the action of the State, but also of the private and civil society. Only in that way can we advance the joint, collaborative work of all agencies,” he added.
For his part, the Undersecretary of Public Works, José Andrés Herrera, said that they are “working throughout the country to guarantee the right to water. First, by promoting the basin councils, to ensure adequate distribution for human use, agricultural, industrial activity and, of course, environmental care.”

“And secondly, to improve control processes against illegal water extraction, strengthening our control teams and incorporating important technological updating processes. Consequently, we will continue to invest and innovate in infrastructure and processes that ensure water security and also promote change that will allow us toIt is a conscious use of water,” he added.
While the governor of the Metropolitan Region, Claudio Orrego, stressed that “the water crisis in Santiago is the main environmental challenge that our city has and works like this undoubtedly help prepare Santiago and strengthen its resilience against drought and heat waves due to climate change. ”
“A work alone does not eliminate the ghost of rationing, here many other works are required, cultural changes, municipal ordinances and changes in industrial consumption, agriculture and people. A plant alone will not save us from rationing, the important thing is to accompany it with responsible consumption, in a collective task, “he said.
Participating in the inauguration of the project during the day on Thursday, to kick off the operation of the facilities, the Government spokeswoman, Camila Vallejo; the Undersecretary of Public Works, José Andrés Herrera; the governor of the RM, Claudio Orrego, and the mayors of the beneficiary communes, the mayor of Las Condes, Daniela Peñaloza; the mayor of La Reina, José Manuel Palacios; the mayor of Lo Barnechea, Cristóbal Lira; the mayor of Vitacura, Camila Merino; together with representatives of Aguas Andinas, the general manager, Marta Colet and the chairman of the board, Felipe Larraín,
Looking ahead
For more than a decade, Aguas Andinas has been working to face the effects of climate change. In addition to the new Padre Hurtado Plant, the wells of Cerro Negro-Lo Mena, new ponds, such as those of Bicentennial Park, Talagante, San Enrique and San Antonio; the modernization of the Vizcachas plant; and new technology and innovation in its Hydraulic Efficiency Plan processes.
The company is also working in coordination with municipalities, irrigators and other actors to mitigate the effects of climate change. A key advance was the historic collaboration agreement between Aguas Andinas and the Irrigators Associations of the First Section of the Maipo River, which contributed 24% of the water required by the city and ensured supply in the spring-summer season, where there is a greater demand for drinking water.

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Original source in Spanish