The Mirage of Drinking Water Security in Chilean Patagonia: A Socio-Ecological Perspective

Cristián Frêne (), Anna Astorga-Roine, Trace Gale, Benjamín Sotomayor, Andrea Báez-Montenegro, Juan P. Boisier, Camila Alvarez-Garreton and Brian L. Reid
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Cristián Frêne: Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), José de Moraleda 16, Coyhaique 5951601, Chile
Anna Astorga-Roine: Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), José de Moraleda 16, Coyhaique 5951601, Chile
Trace Gale: Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), José de Moraleda 16, Coyhaique 5951601, Chile
Benjamín Sotomayor: Dron Aerogeomática SpA, Los Cactus 1724, Lo Barnechea 7690000, Chile
Andrea Báez-Montenegro: Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), José de Moraleda 16, Coyhaique 5951601, Chile
Juan P. Boisier: Department of Geophysics, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8320000, Chile
Camila Alvarez-Garreton: Center for Climate and Resilience Research CR2, FONDAP 1523A0002, Santiago 8320000, Chile
Brian L. Reid: Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), José de Moraleda 16, Coyhaique 5951601, Chile

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 18, 1-28

Abstract: This study investigates the paradoxical water security challenges in western Chilean Patagonia, where the regional abundance of water resources masks significant vulnerabilities of drinking water systems. We conducted an integrated socio-hydrological analysis over rural (APR) and urban (APU) drinking water systems, which provide water to approximately 846,000 people. We georeferenced 343 drinking water intake points, from which 51.6% are sourced from groundwater, and 45.8% from surface waters (2.6% other sources). An eco-hydrological characterization was conducted on the 147 watersheds supplying water to the surface intake points. Watersheds were characterized by their main hydrological, morphological, and land cover features, as well as by their level of anthropization (AI) and water stress index (WSI). Social dimensions were captured through structured interviews with 117 APR directorate leaders regarding their perceptions of infrastructure, governance, climate change, and local water management challenges. Our findings suggest that water availability in Patagonia creates a mirage of water security. AI and WSI indicate high variability in the status of water sources, with 25% of watersheds showing high levels of anthropization and 33% with medium to high levels of water stress, making it relevant to explore the results through a combination of hydroclimatic, longitudinal, and latitudinal gradients. A novel analysis linking WSI and AI to governance perceptions was conducted, finding significant inverse correlations between WSI and both technical capacity and users’ participation. Despite the region’s evident abundance of water resources, rural communities consistently express concerns regarding supply sustainability, infrastructure deficiencies, insufficient technical support, and climate change risks to current and future water availability, all of which constrain water security in Chilean Patagonia.

Keywords: watershed; potable water; water stress; urban and rural; socio-hydrology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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