President of Peru Endorses Aqualia’s First Wastewater Treatment Project in the Country

Aqualia is launching operations in Peru after years of market research aimed at bringing its expertise and knowledge to the country. In a ceremony held yesterday at the Government Palace in Lima and attended by the President of the Republic of Peru, Dina Boluarte, the contract for the Wastewater Treatment System (WWTP) in Chincha was signed. Also present were the Ministers of Housing, Construction and Sanitation, Durich Whittembury Talledo; and Economy and Finance, Raúl Pérez Reyes, along with Deputy Minister Christian Barrantes, who signed the contract on behalf of the Peruvian government. Aqualia was represented by its Regional Director for LATAM, Francisco Jiménez, and Country Director Maximiliano Stempels, who signed the contract.

During her speech, the Head of State emphasised that the project “is crucial for the health, environment, and well-being of our fellow citizens in Chincha.” Dina Boluarte also highlighted that the infrastructure “will enable the reuse of treated water, creating sustainable opportunities.” Other government representatives stressed the effectiveness of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in delivering essential infrastructure, generating employment, and stimulating the local economy, citing the Chincha WWTP project as “a clear example of the government’s commitment to private investment aimed at closing social gaps.” Aqualia representatives expressed their “satisfaction and commitment to contributing the company’s vast experience in sanitation projects worldwide.”

Earlier this year, Aqualia was selected to design, finance, build, operate, and maintain a Wastewater Treatment System (WWTP) in Chincha, a province located 200 kilometres south of Lima in the Ica region. The project’s main goal is to provide proper treatment and disposal of wastewater generated in seven districts of Chincha Province (Chincha Alta, Chincha Baja, Grocio Prado, Pueblo Nuevo, Alto Larán, Sunampe, and Tambo de Mora). Once operational, the infrastructure will improve the quality of life for 345,000 residents in the region.

As the project’s concessionaire, Aqualia will build and operate approximately 21 kilometres of main collection networks and pressure lines, a pumping station, the wastewater treatment plants included in the project, and 7.7 kilometres of pipelines for the final disposal of treated water. The total concession period is 24 years: the first four for design, financing, and construction, and the remaining 20 for operation and maintenance.

ProInversión, Peru’s private investment promotion agency, was responsible for identifying private partners interested in building the wastewater treatment plant under a public-private partnership model. The initiative, representing an investment of €92 million, was declared of interest by ProInversión in early October 2024 and, after the transaction phase, was awarded to Aqualia.

Benefits for People and the Environment 

The new infrastructure will reduce diseases caused by untreated wastewater, improving public health and the quality of life for residents in the affected districts. Additionally, by properly treating wastewater, the project will prevent contamination of water bodies, eliminating negative environmental impacts. It will also promote the circular economy in the region, as the reuse of treated water will provide a new source for agricultural and/or industrial use in an area currently experiencing significant water stress. Finally, the project will help drive economic development in the Chincha region by creating jobs during construction, operation, and maintenance, while improved sanitation infrastructure will attract investment and strengthen the regional economy.

This project marks the beginning of Aqualia’s operational activity in Peru, consolidating its presence in the Americas. Aqualia currently manages the end-to-end water cycle in eight departments in Colombia, serving 1.4 million residents across 32 municipalities. The company developed the Salitre WWTP project in Bogotá, which serves over 3 million people. In Mexico, Aqualia operates across all phases of the water cycle (collection and supply, treatment, and desalination) in various states. For the past year, Aqualia has also been working on comprehensive improvements to drinking water network management in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, one of Mexico’s top tourist destinations. In Chile, Aqualia has operated an industrial water treatment plant for one of the country’s leading mining companies for the past 10 years. And in the United States, the company has managed water services in the Houston metropolitan area, Texas, since January 2024.