20/08/2024
Agua Segura

Allies: Working for Socio-environmental Impact

Catalina Deluchi – Vice President of Global Business Development

The socio-ecological transition poses a significant challenge for all sectors of the economy striving to adapt to more sustainable development models in this changing era.

While there is broad consensus on the need to implement business models that can mitigate and even reverse the damage done to the environment and people, many companies still struggle to find solutions that genuinely have an impact.

That’s why, when executing any project, it is crucial to understand the unique contribution that specialized companies and projects can offer. Designing a socio-environmental impact strategy with a partner who brings expertise and support to the company is a strategic decision that helps tailor solutions to the problems at hand.

At Agua Segura, we have partnered with major corporations seeking our specialized knowledge in developing programs tailored to the needs of both the companies and the communities they are part of. In this collaboration, we see ourselves as “fellow travelers,” as promoting solutions that positively impact the planet is at the core of our mission.

These strategic alliances embody a spirit of cooperation and mutual growth, and they are part of a new generation of entrepreneurs who believe in the need to rethink our production methods. The benefits of positioning companies as leaders in their communities are becoming increasingly visible, alongside cost savings and enhanced competitive advantages.

The water crisis presents a top-priority challenge for many companies looking to address their water footprint, and they are acutely aware of the urgency of this issue. No longer do multinational corporations need to be convinced that approaches considering social and environmental impact throughout the entire production chain are essential for business growth.

Therefore, the added value is not only in terms of reputation but also in the collective benefit of sustaining a project that can support long-term development within a community. On this path of social responsibility and transformative action, we accompany our partners, bringing our full expertise and knowledge to the table.

Cooperation and strategic alliances with companies that are experts in addressing the socio-environmental challenges we face today allow us to co-create an economically sustainable model for both the present and the future.

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.

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20/03/2026

💧World Water Day: Why Access to Water Strengthens Food Security and the Role of Rural Women

Every March 22nd, World Water Day invites us to reflect on a resource essential for life, health, ecosystems, and development. However, when we talk about water, the debate often centers solely on domestic access or infrastructure. While these issues are fundamental, water also sustains something equally vital: the ability to produce food and support entire communities.

In many regions of the world, access to water defines more than just daily life. It also determines who can plant, produce, sustain a family economy, and remain resilient in the face of the climate crisis. In this context, the link between water, agriculture, gender, and food security becomes increasingly evident.

At Agua Segura, we believe that speaking about water security implies looking at the entire system: access to water, watershed management, territorial resilience, and the impact water has on production, local development, and individual opportunities.

🌍 Water as the Foundation of Food Production

Water is one of the most decisive resources for agriculture. Without reliable and sustainable access to water, there is no stable production, no capacity to adapt to droughts, and no resilient food systems.

Globally, the agricultural sector is responsible for approximately 70% of freshwater use, demonstrating just how interconnected water and food production truly are. But this relationship isn’t just about volume; it’s about how water is managed, who can access it, what technologies are available, and how prepared communities are to face water scarcity scenarios.

In a context of increasing water stress, watershed degradation, and climate change, access to water for agriculture becomes a key condition to:

Strengthen food security.
Improve the climate resilience of production systems.
Reduce the vulnerability of rural communities.
Expand economic opportunities in agricultural territories.
Promote more efficient and sustainable production.

That is why, when we speak of safe water, we are not just talking about human consumption. We are also talking about the possibility of sustaining livelihoods, local production, and territorial development.

👩‍🌾 Women and Water: A Key Relationship for Food Security

The gender dimension is central to this conversation. According to the FAO, women represent approximately 43% of the global agricultural labor force. Furthermore, in many countries, they produce between 60% and 80% of all food.

Despite this fundamental role, rural women continue to face significant barriers in accessing:

Land and productive resources.
Financing and technical assistance.
Agricultural technology.
Irrigation systems.
Water storage and distribution infrastructure.

When water is scarce, these inequalities deepen. In contexts of water crisis, many women must dedicate more time to securing water for their homes, reducing their production possibilities or facing greater difficulties in sustaining crops, livestock, and family economies. This impacts not only their economic autonomy but also the food security of their communities.

Therefore, improving access to water is also a way to reduce structural gaps and strengthen the role of women in rural production systems.

🌱 Access to Water: Much More Than Resource Availability

Access to water is not limited to the physical existence of the resource. It also implies having the actual conditions to use it safely, efficiently, and sustainably.

This includes:

Adequate infrastructure.
Efficient irrigation systems.
Safe storage.
Protection and restoration of watersheds.
Local water governance.
Training and technical support.

In other words, improving access to water is not just about increasing supply, but about building more resilient, equitable, and sustainable systems.

A key figure highlights this: according to the FAO, if female farmers had the same access to productive resources as men, agricultural production could increase significantly—with estimates in some contexts reaching up to a 30% improvement in productive outcomes.

This data proves something fundamental: investing in water, infrastructure, technology, and equitable access does not just improve resource management. It can also transform production systems, strengthen rural economies, and contribute to greater global food security.

🌎 Water, Climate Resilience, and Rural Development

Climate change is intensifying water-related challenges. Prolonged droughts, extreme rainfall, precipitation variability, and ecosystem degradation are altering how rural communities produce food and manage their territories.

In this scenario, water becomes a decisive factor for climate resilience. When a community has access to safe water, adequate irrigation, efficient practices, and strengthened local governance, it improves its capacity to:

Adapt to periods of scarcity.
Sustain agricultural production.
Reduce losses.
Protect their livelihoods.
Make decisions based on information and planning.

For this reason, water is also an opportunity: an opportunity to build more resilient territories, more stable rural economies, and communities better prepared for climate uncertainty.

💧 Water Security with a Territorial and Social Focus

At Agua Segura, we work with the conviction that water security is not built through infrastructure alone. It requires an integrated approach that coordinates: Water, Production, Territory, Community, Education, Sustainability, and Equity.

Every watershed has its own dynamics, challenges, and opportunities. Therefore, solutions must be designed from the territory up, with local participation and a focus on measurable impact. When access to water improves, we are protecting more than just a resource; we are strengthening the possibilities to produce, sustain local economies, reduce inequalities, and build a more resilient future.

🌍 World Water Day: A Date to Expand the Conversation

World Water Day, commemorated every March 22nd, is an opportunity to remember that water is not just a natural resource: it is the foundation of life, health, production, and development.

It is also an opportunity to expand the conversation. To talk about water is to talk about food security, rural women, climate resilience, sustainable watershed management, and opportunities for communities.

Because when water is missing, it doesn’t just affect daily consumption. It weakens production systems, deepens inequalities, and limits people’s ability to build a better future. Conversely, when access to water improves, communities are strengthened, production is protected, and real conditions for a fairer and more sustainable development are created.

This March 22nd, we reaffirm one conviction: water also sustains communities, and guaranteeing its access is a key condition for food security and the resilience of our future.

30/09/2025

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/

28/05/2026

World Environment Day: Why Plastic Is Also a Water Crisis

Every June 5th, the world pauses to acknowledge something that should be self-evident: the planet we inhabit has limits. World Environment Day, led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), is an opportunity to bring the most urgent environmental challenges onto the agenda and call for collective action.

This year, at Agua Segura, we want to address a connection that often goes unnoticed: the relationship between plastics and the water crisis. A relationship that is not metaphorical. It is chemical, ecosystemic and deeply territorial.

Plastic Does Not Disappear. It Fragments and Reaches Our Water

When plastic is not properly managed, it does not disappear. It breaks down into increasingly smaller particles — known as microplastics — which end up in rivers, watersheds, aquifers and oceans. According to UNEP data, between 9 and 14 million tons of plastic enter the ocean every year. But the problem does not begin or end at sea.

Microplastics have been found in drinking water sources, agricultural soils, fish tissue and human blood. They affect aquatic biodiversity, disrupt the natural cycles of ecosystems and compromise the water quality that entire communities depend on to live, produce and develop.

The plastic crisis and the water crisis are not two separate problems. They are two symptoms of the same model of production and consumption that ignores the natural limits of the planet.

Water Security and Biodiversity: An Interdependent System

At Agua Segura we work with this reality on the ground every day. We know that water security cannot be guaranteed by infrastructure alone. It depends on healthy ecosystems, functional watersheds, soils with strong infiltration capacity and communities with the ability to care for and manage the resource.

When ecosystems become contaminated — by plastics, agrochemicals or industrial waste — that chain breaks down. Wetlands lose their retention capacity. Degraded soils no longer filter as they once did. Communities that depend on surface or groundwater sources become vulnerable.

That is why talking about the environment on June 5th also means talking about water. And talking about water means talking about the natural systems that sustain it: forests, wetlands, soils, rivers and aquifers. All of them threatened, among other things, by plastic pollution.

What Can Companies Do?

Organizations have a role that cannot be delegated. Not only because plastic and water are part of their value chains, but because they have the capacity to scale solutions that reach far beyond their own operations.

This year, together with Unplastify, we developed a series of special proposals for corporate teams looking to engage with this agenda in a concrete, meaningful and transformative way:

Inspirational talk: a awareness session on the impact of plastics on water, nature and communities. Ideal for building internal awareness and opening sustainability conversations within teams.

Solutions design workshop: a participatory session to co-create concrete responses to plastic and water challenges. An activity that combines creativity, collaboration and purpose.

Clean-up day: a collective action experience in contact with urban nature. Because change is also built with your hands.

These proposals are not just team-building activities. They are opportunities for organizations to integrate the environmental agenda from within — with teams that understand the problem, commit to solutions and build a culture of sustainability.

June 5th Is a Date. The Commitment Is Permanent

World Environment Day serves an important purpose: it makes the crisis visible. But the environmental crisis has no expiration date and cannot be resolved with a single awareness event. It requires strategic decisions, sustained investment and the willingness to change production and consumption models that have decades of inertia behind them.

At Agua Segura we believe that companies that understand this have a real competitive advantage: they build resilience before scarcity forces them to. They design solutions before regulators require them. They generate value for their territory before social conflict demands it.

Plastic in water is not just an environmental problem. It is an indicator of how an organization relates to the ecosystem it depends on. And changing that is possible, measurable and necessary.

Does Your Company Want to Activate Environment Day With Real Impact?

Together with Unplastify we design tailored proposals for teams that want to go beyond communication and connect with concrete environmental action. Talks, workshops and clean-up days designed to generate awareness, creativity and commitment.

If you are interested in exploring how we can support your organization this June 5th — and beyond — reach out to coordinate a call. We are here to help you design a water and environmental impact strategy that makes sense for your company and your territory.

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

20/03/2026