Peru’s national water regulator has authorized 32 sanitation utilities to draw on their investment and reserve funds to take preventive action against El Niño, with more than 1.322 billion soles available for the effort.
The Superintendencia Nacional de Servicios de Saneamiento (Sunass) established the measure through board resolution N.º 028-2026-SUNASS-CD, which amends the general tariff regulations for sanitation services. Under the change, utilities operating in areas under a state of emergency due to imminent danger may make exceptional use of those funds.
Sunass said the modification was especially important because it would allow the utilities to act preventively, protecting the continuity of drinking water service for 1.6 million users. Forecasts suggest the El Niño event will be strong and could extend into the summer of 2027.
How the funds can be spent
According to Sunass, the released resources may go toward immediate and necessary activities to reduce risk and strengthen readiness, including construction and reinforcement of infrastructure to protect water and sanitation systems against flooding and mudslides, sediment removal from intake points, and purchase of generators, pumps, mobile tanks, and water treatment equipment.
Utilities may also use the funds to buy chemical inputs for system operation, rent machinery and hire emergency personnel, and contract fuel to keep critical plants running.
The 32 companies authorized include Sedapal, Sedapar, EPS Grau, Sedalib, Sedaloreto, Sedacaj, Sedachimbote, Seda Ayacucho, Seda Huanuco, and others spread across emergency-declared localities throughout the country.
