In Collipulli: Desafío Agua para Chile Inaugurated Its Project #100 and Continues Closing the Gap in Access to Drinking Water

In 2019, an ambitious and socially urgent crusade began: the Desafío Agua Para Chile program, driven in partnership by CMPC and Desafío Levantemos Chile. Since then, it has worked tirelessly to provide drinking water, irrigation, and sanitation solutions to rural communities that have historically lacked this basic service. This month, the initiative inaugurated its 100th project, which will bring drinking water access to 25 families in the Ruperto Huenupi, Felipe Caniuqueo, and Dagoberto Caniuqueo communities in the commune of Collipulli, La Araucanía Region.

To date, Desafío Agua Para Chile has benefited thousands of families in the regions of La Araucanía, Biobío, Maule, Ñuble, and Los Lagos, establishing itself as a concrete and sustainable response to one of the country's main social gaps.

"For CMPC, it is a great satisfaction to complete project number 100, but also a responsibility to continue moving forward, because we have started very important work with the communities that involves the challenge of transforming ourselves into a development factor in the territories where we are present," stated Augusto Robert, Vice President of Corporate Affairs at CMPC.

From Desafío Levantemos Chile, they emphasized that this milestone represents much more than a number. "Five years ago, together with CMPC, we set out to deliver quality of life and a better day-to-day for the families in this sector. Today, this alliance and collaboration shows that there is nothing more supportive than being efficient and that, with well-thought-out projects alongside the communities, great things can be achieved," said Nicolás Birrell, Executive President of the foundation.

The mayor of Collipulli, Manuel Macaya, wanted to "thank CMPC, and Levantemos Chile. This APR (Rural Potable Water system) that benefits 25 families leaves us very grateful. This speaks well of the company, of a collaborative work with the commune. These APRs take the State between 12 to 15 years. Today, completing an APR in 90 days as CMPC is doing, is an example."

In Chile, access to drinking water remains a structural problem, especially in rural areas. According to estimates based on OECD criteria, more than 80% of the country's surface area corresponds to rural communes, highlighting the magnitude of the territorial challenge.

Furthermore, the 2022 CASEN Survey shows that multidimensional poverty is significantly higher in rural areas than in urban ones, a gap that deepens in regions like La Araucanía. In this context, the data reveals that less than half of rural households in Chile access drinking water through pipes, reflecting persistent inequalities in access to basic services. This reality became even more evident during the pandemic, reinforcing the urgency of advancing permanent and sustainable solutions.

A Milestone That Transforms Lives

Project #100 involved drilling a deep well, which now supplies drinking water to the families in the sector, who for years have depended on springs, rainwater collection, and water tanker trucks. With its completion, the initiative will surpass 5,000 benefited families, marking a new milestone for the alliance between Desafío Levantemos Chile and CMPC.

For the community, the impact is profound. "We depend on springs, on water that the municipality sometimes brings us, and on rainwater we collect in our tanks. We have had to learn to prioritize water, because sometimes it limits us even from being able to cook. Having water will benefit us greatly because it is also one of the requirements to apply for housing," recounted Ana María Viveros, president of the community. In the same vein, Karen Luna, a neighbor in the sector, stated that "my whole life I have had to heat water in buckets. I am very excited and grateful to fulfill our dream of having our own water."

Impact Stories

These stories of change are replicated in the various communities where the project has been implemented. "I had no hope, I thought I would never have drinking water. Before the project, we had many difficulties washing clothes. We used well water, and when the wells dried up, we were left unable to wash clothes. That doesn't happen to us anymore," highlighted Olga Navarrete, who was one of the first beneficiaries in Los Ángeles, in 2024. "I thank everyone who made this possible, the whole team that came to my house, both CMPC and Desafío Levantemos Chile. All the people who supported us were excellent; if I could give them a grade, I would give everyone a seven," she expressed regarding the project.

Another similar testimony is that of María Riquelme, who, like Olga, had not had access to drinking water before this initiative either. "It's a complete change; when you have water, you have life. Before, the water had a bad smell, you had to boil it, and sometimes it brought stomach infections," she emphasized regarding the changes she has seen in her community in Mulchén. She added that "they always had the willingness to listen to us, to hear our proposals, and to be open to working with us. The Desafío team is a very good team; I congratulate them for the determination they have and I hope they continue like that. I also thank CMPC for the support and the connection they have had with the neighbors," she commented about the project managers.

Desafío Agua para Chile thus reaffirms its conviction to continue working on the ground, strengthening public-private collaboration, and developing solutions in record time, focusing on the active participation of communities and on real and sustainable social impact.

The report in theAcoforag Magazine