5.2 Investing in Existing Infrastructure
Based on the existing conditions of the potable water infrastructure in the Loreto region, there is an
opportunity to capture water lost to leaks and inefficiencies throughout the system. Repair of
infrastructure may allow the existing water resources to accommodate a larger percentage of the
increasing water demand. The estimated volume of water lost in the system must be quantified (it
is currently estimated between 30 and 40% by SAPAL) and the capital investment associated with
the repair of the system calculated. Methods to identify leaks and estimate the volume lost and
repair costs include: installing and periodically calibrating customer meters, pressure tests, and
computer modeling of the distribution system.
It is necessary for an infrastructure assessment to be performed on the 40 year-old water system in
Loreto and to determine the specific needs for new construction, repair and reconstruction in
order to offset the need to develop additional water resources. This effort should occur regardless
of the development of additional water resources in Loreto because once additional supplies are
made available, a significant portion of those supplies will still be lost with the infrastructure as it
stands today. The relatively small capital investment associated with assessing the cost of repair to existing infrastructure and the augmentation of existing water supplies should provide reasonable
and necessary options before developing an additional water resource, such as desalination. |
