ESPAÑOLDRINKING WATER
Despite the undeniable importance of water to the lives of human beings, the inhabitants of Piquiucho had no access to it. To get water in their homes the families had to walk more than a kilometre to reach the Chota River, fill their buckets and finally carry them back to their homes.
The hard way to get water was not the only concern for the villagers, because that water was contaminated. The section of the river from which they got the water received the waste from San Gabriel Hospital, which was full of surgical garbage, human waste and chemicals.
The authorities responsible for providing drinking water always ignored the requests of the people of Piquiucho. After protests from many citizens, the only thing the government did was to bring a tank with the same contaminated water from the river and to distribute it around the village. There was little wonder that the population of Piquiucho constantly fell sick. This dire situation led to Ulises’ request to the national government and press to enable easy access to drinking water. Currently, Piquiucho has a line of drinking water concession granted by the government. Finally, each house in the village has a tap and a water meter. Access to safe drinking water has dramatically improved the health and standard of living of the population.
