30/09/2025
Agua Segura

10 Years of Agua Segura: Lessons Learned, Challenges, and the Future of Water

By Manuel Saurí, CEO of Agua Segura

It has been an intense 10 years, filled with significant entrepreneurial, corporate, and personal experiences. A tremendous decade, full of lessons learned, challenges, achievements, and also mistakes that taught us valuable lessons. One of the most beautiful aspects was choosing to found a venture focused on water—a path that forced us to always be present, to focus on the essential, and to work with science without abandoning the art or sensitivity of connecting with the human element.

Water is not just an element: it is territory, culture, health, and opportunity. Over these ten years, we’ve come to understand that caring for water means caring for life in all its forms. We learned that every watershed, every well, every community is a universe unto itself, with its own voices, histories, and challenges. And we understood that nothing can be transformed from a distance: you have to be in the territory, listen, learn, respect, and co-create solutions with the people who live there.

A Journey Rooted in Conviction and Science

At Agua Segura, science provided us with the method: measure, understand, demonstrate. Working for water security demands an understanding of water cycles, measuring quality, diagnosing soil and environmental conditions, and planning based on knowledge. Designing solutions to the water crisis requires data, but also empathy and humility.

Technology gave us speed and scale. Thanks to filtration tools, remote monitoring, humidity sensors, and ultrafiltration systems, we managed to reach more territories more efficiently. But we also learned that no innovation is useful if it is not adapted to the local reality. That is why every solution implemented was conceived with and for the community.

Education as a Bridge

Beyond technology, one of the great pillars of these years has been education. Community workshops, school activities, and awareness campaigns helped us build trust, strengthen local participation, and foster habits of hygiene and water care. The WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) approach was a key guide.

Throughout the years, we also incorporated art as a tool for raising awareness. Through murals, songs, games, and storytelling, we managed to connect with people on an emotional level, generating ownership and a sense of belonging around water as a right and essential resource.

Water as a Challenge and a Driver for Transformation

Starting a venture in water is not easy. It means choosing to work with deeply rooted cultures and raw, urgent needs. It means navigating situations of great sadness, but also witnessing solutions that transform lives. It means committing to long, complex processes that require patience, collaboration, and deep conviction.

During this decade, we faced contexts of extreme water stress, territories with severe pollution, communities without access to water, and scenarios of climate crisis. In all these places, we confirmed that joint work with local allies is the foundation of any successful project. Collaboration between the public sector, private sector, foundations, and citizens is essential to sustain solutions over time.

10 Years of Collective Impact

Today, as we complete ten years, we celebrate not just projects or milestones achieved, but a collective learning: that water is a driver of development, that the territory holds immense value, and that collaboration is the only viable way to face the challenges. Over these years, we implemented projects for water and sanitation access, wetland restoration, watershed reforestation, water quality monitoring, irrigation efficiency improvements, and more.

We have worked with over 1,000 communities, benefited hundreds of thousands of people, trained local leaders, and brought together young people committed to sustainable development. In every experience, we reaffirmed that real change occurs when solutions arise from the territory, respecting local voices and leveraging their knowledge.

Looking Ahead: What’s Next

The road ahead is equally challenging, but also clearer. We want to continue measuring, innovating with purpose, and, above all, being present: in the territories, with the communities, with partners, and with the new generations.

We know that the water crisis is one of the greatest global threats. Scarcity, pollution, unequal access, the loss of natural sources, and the deterioration of aquatic ecosystems require urgent responses. That is why Agua Segura is committed to Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) for water, aquatic ecosystem restoration, and aquifer recharge projects as central pillars of our agenda.

Furthermore, we promote partnerships with companies to advance Corporate Water Stewardship. The private sector plays a key role in sustainable water management and can be an active part of the change. The same applies to the role of governments and the need for public policies that prioritize water security as a foundation for human development.

Conclusion: Ten Years for Life

These ten years confirm one thing: that water is history, present, and future. And working for it is, ultimately, working for life. Water conservation is everyone’s task. Every restored well, every restored watershed, every filter installed, every workshop conducted is a small but major contribution to a more just and sustainable world.

Thank you to all the people, communities, allies, donors, and teams that made this journey possible. We are aiming for much more: with science, with art, with data, and with heart. Because water deserves it. And because the future we dream of is built drop by drop, community by community, project by project.

For more information check https://aguasegura.com/blog/

23/04/2026

Earth Day: why water security depends on climate, ecosystems and territory

Every April 22nd, Earth Day is celebrated, a date that invites us to reflect on the relationship between the natural systems that sustain life and the decisions we make as a society to protect them. In this context, talking about the planet also implies talking about water. Not only because it is an essential resource for health, production, and development, but because today scientific evidence shows that water is at the center of many of the most urgent environmental challenges of our time.

At Agua Segura, we understand that water security cannot be addressed as an isolated issue. Water is not a resource independent of the rest of the system. Its availability, quality, and resilience depend directly on the state of ecosystems, the health of watersheds, land use, and how climate change is altering natural cycles.

Therefore, Earth Day is a key opportunity to broaden the conversation: protecting the planet also means protecting the systems that make water possible.

Water at the center of the climate crisis

For a long time, water management was treated as a technical or sectoral issue. However, today that perspective is no longer enough. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the main international body of the United Nations for assessing climate science, warns that more than 50% of the impacts of climate change manifest through water.

This means that many of the most visible and serious consequences of the climate crisis appear in the form of:

prolonged droughts,
extreme rain events and floods,
alterations in hydrological cycles,
increasing variability in water availability,
pressure on agricultural, urban, and ecosystem systems.

In other words, water is one of the main vehicles through which climate change impacts communities, territories, and economies.

This reality redefines the concept of water risk. It is no longer just about scarcity or access. It also involves understanding how the climate modifies the functioning of the water system as a whole and how that affects the stability of watersheds, food production, infrastructure, and the resilience of communities.

The deterioration of the planet is also a water crisis

To this scenario is added another equally critical dimension: the degradation of ecosystems. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) warns that more than 75% of the planet’s land surface presents some degree of degradation.

This data does not only talk about loss of biodiversity or environmental deterioration. It also talks about water.

When soils degrade, when forests disappear, when wetlands are altered, or when recharge areas lose functionality, territories lose their natural capacity to:

infiltrate water,
retain moisture,
regulate flows,
recharge aquifers,
buffer extreme events,
filter and improve water quality.

This means that the problem is not only how much water is available, but whether the natural system that produces, regulates, and distributes it is still functioning.

And that is one of the most important keys to understanding the current water crisis.

Water security cannot be thought of in isolation

Frente a este contexto, se vuelve evidente que la seguridad hídrica no puede construirse con una mirada fragmentada. No alcanza con medir consumo, optimizar una operación o instalar infraestructura si no se comprende el estado del territorio y la capacidad real de la cuenca para sostener el recurso.

Water security requires an integral vision that articulates at least four fundamental dimensions:

Water management This implies improving efficiency, reducing losses, protecting sources, optimizing productive uses, and ensuring access to safe and continuous water.
Ecosystem restoration Healthy ecosystems are part of the natural water infrastructure. Restoring forests, wetlands, soils, peatlands, or degraded areas strengthens the territory’s capacity to regulate water.
Climate adaptation In a scenario of greater water uncertainty, it is necessary to design solutions that increase resilience against droughts, floods, and climate variability.
Land use and territorial management Decisions on agriculture, urbanization, conservation, and productive development directly impact the functioning of watersheds.

Therefore, talking about sustainable water security necessarily implies integrating water, climate, biodiversity, and territory into the same strategy.

Water is not an isolated resource: it is the result of a complex system

One of the most important ideas that should guide the conversation on sustainability today is that water does not exist in isolation. It is not simply a available resource that is extracted, used, and replaced.

Water is the result of a complex system where the following intervene:

climate,
vegetation cover,
soil health,
biodiversity,
the infiltration capacity of the territory,
watershed governance,
productive and urban decisions.

When one of those components fails, the water system weakens.

This explains why in many territories the water crisis is not just a matter of scarcity. It is a matter of systemic degradation.

And it also explains why isolated solutions—focused solely on infrastructure or efficiency—often fall short of solving the underlying problems.

Protecting the Earth is also protecting water

Earth Day reminds us that environmental challenges are deeply connected. You cannot talk about climate change without talking about water. You cannot talk about biodiversity without talking about watersheds. You cannot talk about resilience without considering how natural systems that sustain the water cycle are protected and restored.

Caring for the planet also means:

protecting and restoring ecosystems,
reducing soil degradation,
strengthening watershed management,
implementing nature-based solutions,
innovating with measurable impact,
promoting sustainable territorial decisions.

At Agua Segura, we believe that acting against the water crisis requires a systemic, collaborative, and evidence-based approach. It means working not only on the resource, but on the system that makes it possible.

Innovate and act to build water resilience

In a context of water stress, climate change, and environmental degradation, action can no longer wait. The conversation on sustainability must move from diagnosis towards the implementation of concrete solutions.

That implies:

innovating with purpose,
measuring impact in the territory,
designing watershed-based strategies,
integrating ecological restoration and water management,
building alliances between communities, companies, and organizations.

The water resilience of the future will depend on our ability to understand that water does not protect itself. It is protected when we care for the territory, ecosystems, and the relationships that sustain its cycle.

Earth Day: an opportunity to rethink water

Every April 22nd, Earth Day reminds us that the planet functions as an interdependent system. And in that system, water occupies a central place.

Talking about water today is no longer just talking about availability. It is talking about water security, climate change, ecosystem restoration, biodiversity, territorial management, and resilience.

Because water is not an isolated resource.

It is the result of a complex system.

And protecting the Earth also means protecting the water.

This Earth Day, we renew a conviction that guides our work: water security is only possible when we act on the entire system, with integral solutions, collaboration, and a long-term vision.

by aguasegura.com

27/08/2026

Agua Segura at World Water Week 2026: Does water matter for business?

We’re excited to share that we’ll be taking part in the 2026 edition of World Water Week (linkedin.com/company/world-water-week) with our session “Does Water Matter for Business?”

In a world where return on investment (ROI) drives capital decisions, water projects are still too often treated as philanthropy. But if water is essential to productivity, resilience, operational continuity, and the future of industry, then we need to ask a more practical question: how do we build a business case for water strong enough to influence capital allocation?

A leading panel on corporate water management

Alongside our host and moderator Sara Hoversten (linkedin.com/in/sarahoversten), from Bonneville Environmental Foundation – BEF (linkedin.com/company/bonneville-environmental-foundation), we’ll explore this question with an exceptional group of panelists:

German Otalora Castro, from Microsoft (linkedin.com/in/german-otalora-castro-b41b5046 / linkedin.com/company/microsoft)
Yoshiko Hino, from Suntory Global Spirits (linkedin.com/in/yoshiko-hino-7b2158196 / linkedin.com/company/suntoryglobalspirits)
Santosh Govindaraju, from GRUNDFOS (linkedin.com/in/santoshgovindaraju2772 / linkedin.com/company/grundfos)
Catalina Deluchi, from Agua Segura (linkedin.com/in/catalinadeluchi/en / linkedin.com/company/aguasegura)
Antonella Maggioni, from Agrow (linkedin.com/in/antonella-maggioni-8885b36b / linkedin.com/company/agrow-analytics)

What we’ll discuss

The conversation will address how water is framed within business decisions — as risk, cost, sustainability, efficiency, supply chain resilience, CAPEX, or strategy — and what it takes for water to move from commitment to real investment.

Event details

Room A4, Level 6
Tuesday, August 25, 2:00 PM CEST
World Water Week 2026, Stockholm

The session will also be available online. You can join virtually by registering through the official World Water Week website.

We hope to see you there — in person or online — for a conversation about water, investment, resilience, and the future of business.

#WorldWaterWeek #WWWeek #WaterStewardship #WaterResilience #WaterForPeopleAndProgress #Sustainability #Regeneration

08/07/2025

The Water Crisis: The Economic Challenge Facing the Private Sector

By Fernanda Marmorek, CFO of Agua Segura

The water crisis is a silent but devastating threat to the private sector globally. The growing scarcity of this resource affects production, operating costs, and the viability of numerous industries. In particular, sectors such as manufacturing, agribusiness, mining, energy, and technology face significant challenges due to decreasing access to reliable water sources.

According to a WWF report, in 2021, freshwater had an estimated economic value of 58 trillion dollars, representing 60% of the global economy. However, this resource has historically been undervalued, leading to its excessive use and the degradation of water ecosystems. Overexploitation and pollution of water sources are generating adverse economic impacts for the private sector, increasing pressure on production costs and creating uncertainty in long-term investments.

Globally, the water crisis represents a significant threat to the economy. It is estimated that by 2050, around 46% of the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) could originate in areas with high water risk, a significant increase compared to the current 10%. Furthermore, in 2018, economic losses related to water problems amounted to 38.5 billion dollars, although the actual impact could be higher due to a lack of data from many companies. In 2024, water-related disasters, such as floods and droughts, caused economic losses exceeding 550 billion dollars, in addition to the tragic loss of over 8,700 lives and the displacement of 40 million people.

Regions with the highest water stress include North Africa, where water extraction levels exceed 100% of available renewable resources. In Europe, approximately 20% of the territory and 30% of its population experience water stress each year, with Spain and the Mediterranean basin being the most affected areas. In Latin America, countries such as Mexico, Chile, and Peru face serious water challenges due to aquifer overexploitation and the impact of climate change on water availability.

How the Water Crisis Pressures Costs and Employment

The water crisis generates pressure on costs and employment mainly for three key reasons:

1. Increase in Operating Costs

Water is an essential input for many industries. When there is scarcity or restrictions on access to water sources, companies must seek more expensive alternatives, such as:

Purchase of water from private sources
Infrastructure for collection and treatment
Fines and environmental regulations

Example: In the food and beverage industry, reduced access to water forces companies to pay more for the resource, which increases production costs and, consequently, final consumer prices.

2. Disruption in Production and the Supply Chain

When a company cannot access enough water, production is reduced or even temporarily halted. This can occur due to:

Raw material scarcity
Interruption in manufacturing
Dependence on affected suppliers

Example: In Argentina, drought has reduced the yield of key crops such as soy and wheat, impacting not only farmers but also exports and companies dependent on these products.

3. Job Reduction and Effects on the Economy

When production decreases, companies face economic losses, which can lead to layoffs or reduced working hours. The most affected sectors include:

Agriculture
Industry and manufacturing
Services and commerce

Example: In Lima, a study estimated that a 30% reduction in water availability could lead to the loss of over 35,000 jobs due to production contraction.

Technological Innovations and Soil and Ecosystem Restoration to Face the Water Crisis

Given the growing water scarcity, the private sector is adopting various technological innovations to mitigate the impact and improve efficiency in resource use. These solutions seek not only to guarantee the sustainability of water supply but also to reduce operating costs and optimize production processes in key industries.

In the agricultural sector, the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced sensors in irrigation systems has proven highly efficient. These systems analyze soil moisture and climatic conditions in real-time, allowing for precise adjustment of water use and reduction of waste.

Another key innovation is the use of atmospheric water generators, which extract moisture from the air and convert it into potable water. Startups in Latin America and Africa are developing these technologies to supply communities and companies in high water stress areas.

Furthermore, wastewater recovery and recycling have become a fundamental practice for industries such as textiles, manufacturing, and mining. Leading companies in these sectors are investing in treatment plants that allow water to be reused in their production processes.

In addition to implementing advanced technologies, the private sector is also promoting soil and ecosystem restoration strategies as a complementary solution to face the water crisis. Agricultural and forestry companies are adopting soil regeneration practices, such as reforestation and the use of cover crops, to improve water retention capacity and reduce erosion.

The restoration of wetlands and watersheds is also gaining relevance. Various industries have begun to invest in the protection and rehabilitation of aquatic ecosystems, recognizing their fundamental role in regulating the water cycle.

Companies that incorporate these strategies not only improve their environmental sustainability but also reduce operating costs by ensuring more stable access to the water resource.

Therefore, to mitigate the effects of the water crisis, it is essential for companies to adopt sustainable strategies, such as optimizing water use, diversifying water sources, and collaborating with the public sector. Investment in water infrastructure and the development of innovative technologies will be key to ensuring economic stability and operational continuity in a context of increasing resource scarcity.

Visit aguasegura.com

17/09/2026

Agua Segura at World Water Week 2026: Does water matter for business?

In a world where return on investment drives capital decisions, water projects are still too often treated as philanthropy — a gesture of responsibility, not a strategic decision.

But if water is essential to productivity, operational resilience, supply chain continuity, and the future of industry, then the question we need to ask isn’t whether water matters. The question is how we build a business case for water strong enough to influence real capital allocation.

That’s exactly the conversation Agua Segura will bring to World Water Week 2026 in Stockholm.

The session: Does Water Matter for Business?

On Tuesday, August 25, at 2:00 PM CEST, Agua Segura will take part in the panel “Does Water Matter for Business?”, in Room A4, Level 6 of the World Water Week 2026 venue.

The session, moderated by Sara Hoversten of the Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF), will bring together leaders from companies at the forefront of corporate water management to explore how water is framed within business decisions — as risk, cost, efficiency, supply chain resilience, CAPEX, or sustainability strategy — and what it takes for water to move from stated commitment to real investment.

The session will also be available online. You can join virtually by registering through the official World Water Week site.

A leading panel on corporate water management

Panelists:

Sara Hoversten — Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) · Moderator
German Otalora Castro — Microsoft
Yoshiko Hino — Suntory Global Spirits
Santosh Govindaraju — GRUNDFOS
Catalina Deluchi — Agua Segura
Antonella Maggioni — Agrow

The diversity of sectors represented — technology, beverages, water infrastructure, agriculture, and water security projects — is itself a reflection of how cross-cutting the water challenge is for global industry.

Why this panel, now?

Water is taking up more and more space on corporate sustainability agendas. Water Positive commitments, water footprint reduction targets, AWS standard adherence, water risk reporting — the list keeps growing. But the gap between stated commitment and real investment remains significant in many organizations.

What does it take to close that gap? Part of the answer lies in language. Water projects are usually presented in terms of environmental or social impact — cubic meters restored, communities reached, hectares restored. Those metrics are real and necessary. But to influence capital decisions, they also need to be translated into terms that CFOs, investment committees, and boards recognize: operational risk, business continuity, cost efficiency, supply chain resilience.

That translation isn’t cosmetic — it’s strategic. And it’s, in large part, what the World Water Week 2026 panel will aim to build.

Agua Segura’s perspective

At Agua Segura, we design and implement water security projects alongside companies that have made concrete commitments: Water Positive, water neutrality, water replenishment, and water efficiency across operations and value chains. We work on the ground — with technical diagnostics, local implementation, community partners, and verifiable impact measurement.

What we’ve learned in that process is that water projects that manage to scale have something in common: they aren’t presented solely as sustainability projects. They’re presented as investments with measurable returns — in operational efficiency, reduced water risk, access to ESG-linked markets or financing, reputation, and business continuity.

That’s the conversation we want to have in Stockholm. And it’s the conversation we believe the sector needs most urgently.

Event details

Session: Does Water Matter for Business?
Date: Tuesday, August 25, 2026
Time: 2:00 PM CEST
Venue: Room A4, Level 6 · World Water Week 2026 · Stockholm
Format: In-person and online (register on the official World Water Week site)

Will you be in Stockholm? Let’s meet.

If you’ll be at World Water Week 2026 and want to connect with the Agua Segura team, reach out to coordinate a meeting. We’re interested in talking with companies, organizations, and implementers working on corporate water management, water stewardship, water risk, or replenishment and efficiency projects.

You can also contact us anytime at aguasegura.com — whether before the event to plan a conversation in Stockholm, or afterward to explore how we can work together.

Water matters for business. And building that case together starts with a conversation. Get in touch.

#WorldWaterWeek #WWWeek #WaterStewardship #WaterResilience #WaterSecurity #WaterManagement #WaterRisk #ESG #Sustainability #SDG6 #AguaSegura #BusinessCase #WaterPositive

27/08/2026

Agua Segura at World Water Week 2026: Does water matter for business?

24/07/2026

How to Measure Your Environmental Footprint to Make Better Decisions: The Value of Digitalizing Water, Energy, and Waste Consumption

How to Measure Your Environmental Footprint to Make Better Decisions: The Value of Digitalizing Water, Energy, and Waste Consumption

Sustainability is no longer just about commitments or declarations. Today, companies need reliable data to understand their environmental impact, identify opportunities for improvement, and make strategic decisions that generate measurable results.

In this context, measuring the environmental footprint has moved beyond a reporting exercise to become a management tool. Understanding how an organization consumes water, energy, and resources — and how it generates waste — makes it possible to turn information into concrete actions that reduce costs, lower risks, and strengthen competitiveness.

At Agua Segura, we believe that environmental management begins with knowledge. That is why we developed, together with Unplastify, the Environmental Footprint Tool: a platform that allows organizations to digitalize consumption data, simulate scenarios, and design personalized strategies to improve their environmental performance.

Environmental management starts with data

Many companies know how much they pay for water, electricity, or waste management, but few have an integrated view of how those consumption levels impact their costs, operations, and sustainability goals.

A lack of consolidated information often makes it difficult to answer fundamental questions such as:

Where are the greatest savings opportunities?
What impact would adopting new technologies have?
How would costs change in response to new regulations or tariff variations?
Which projects generate the highest environmental and economic return?

Answering these questions requires up-to-date information, comparable indicators, and tools that allow different scenarios to be analyzed before investing.

What is the Environmental Footprint Tool?

The Environmental Footprint Tool is a platform designed to help organizations measure, analyze, and optimize their environmental performance through data-driven management.

The tool integrates three core dimensions:

Water consumption
Energy consumption
Waste management

Based on this information, it enables organizations to build a continuous operational diagnosis and identify concrete improvement opportunities.

More than a dashboard of indicators, it functions as a decision-support system.

Digitalizing to manage better

One of the main challenges in sustainability is that many decisions are still made reactively.

Digitalizing consumption makes it possible to move from an approach based on estimates to continuous management, where information becomes a competitive advantage.

The Environmental Footprint Tool enables organizations to:

digitalize water, energy, and waste consumption data;
benchmark performance against references drawn from a proprietary database;
detect economic and operational savings opportunities;
access AI-powered recommendations to guide decision-making.

This information helps prioritize actions and accelerates the implementation of improvements with measurable impact.

Simulating scenarios before investing

One of the platform’s most valuable features is the ability to run simulations.

Before implementing a solution, organizations can analyze different scenarios by considering variables such as:

regulatory changes;
cost variations;
adoption of new technologies;
consumption reduction strategies.

The system also estimates the investment required and the direct and indirect savings associated with each alternative.

This reduces uncertainty and helps prioritize projects with the greatest environmental and financial impact.

From data to implementation

Measuring is only the first step.

The real value emerges when information is transformed into concrete projects.

That is why Agua Segura supports organizations throughout the entire process:

identifying opportunities;
designing solutions;
selecting and coordinating suppliers;
overseeing implementation;
measuring and reporting the impact achieved.

This comprehensive approach turns environmental strategy into verifiable results.

Water, energy, and waste: an integrated perspective

Traditionally, these resources have been managed separately.

However, there is growing evidence that they form part of the same system.

Reducing water consumption can lower energy use. Optimizing processes can simultaneously reduce waste and costs. Implementing efficient solutions can generate environmental and economic benefits at the same time.

An integrated perspective therefore makes it possible to identify opportunities that often go unnoticed when each indicator is analyzed in isolation.

Sustainability also drives efficiency

Companies today face new challenges:

increasing regulatory pressure;
more demanding ESG objectives;
growing expectations from investors and consumers;
the need to reduce operating costs;
risk management related to water and climate change.

Having tools that make it possible to measure, benchmark, and project scenarios helps organizations respond to these challenges with objective information.

Sustainability moves beyond being solely an environmental goal to become a tool for business efficiency and resilience.

Technology for better environmental management

Digital transformation is also reaching the management of natural resources.

Tools like the Environmental Footprint Tool allow organizations to evolve from reactive management to preventive management, grounded in indicators and evidence.

This supports organizations in:

improving environmental performance;
reducing costs;
optimizing investments;
strengthening their ESG strategy;
advancing toward more sustainable production and operating models.

From commitment to action

Sustainability begins when decisions can be measured.

Digitalizing consumption, understanding the impact of operations, and evaluating different scenarios makes it possible to move from diagnosis to action with greater speed and precision.

At Agua Segura, we believe the future of environmental management will depend increasingly on the ability to turn data into decisions — and decisions into positive impact.

The Environmental Footprint Tool was developed precisely with that goal in mind: to help organizations convert information into concrete solutions and move toward more efficient, resilient, and sustainable management.