Water scarcity, climate change and Bolivia: Planning for climate uncertainties

The document examines the critical water crisis in El Alto and La Paz, Bolivia, where rapid population growth and climate-driven glacier retreat are reducing water supplies. Using the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) tool, the Stockholm Environment Institute identifies that current systems are highly vulnerable, with the El Alto system predicted to fail almost permanently between 2011 and 2030. The briefing recommends a combination of new reservoir construction (such as Khotia Khota and Kaluyo), significant reductions in urban and agricultural water leaks, and improved industrial wastewater recycling to build resilience. It emphasizes the need for watershed-based coordination and community participation in planning to manage the projected population increase to two million people in El Alto by 2050.

• El Alto is experiencing a severe 'population crunch' where rapid urban growth is coinciding with climate-driven migration. The city's population grew by at least 30% between 2001 and 2012, and it is predicted to reach two million people by 2050.
• Climate change is causing significant glacial retreat in the Cordillera mountain range, which provides 20–28% of the water for El Alto and La Paz. Two specific glaciers, Tuni-Condoriri, lost 39% of their area between 1983 and 2006.
• Current water systems in the region lack resilience. The El Alto water system is projected to fail almost permanently between 2011 and 2030, while the Pampahasi system may fail to meet demand for up to seven months per year with a reliability of 74.59%.
• The most robust infrastructure investments for water security vary by timeframe: by 2030, the construction of a new reservoir in Khotia Khota Lake and the expansion of the Taypicacha reservoir are most effective; by 2050, the most robust options are new reservoirs in Jankho Khota and Kaluyo, alongside prioritizing El Alto's use of Acachicala water.
• Reducing water leaks in urban and agricultural systems is the most effective short-term strategy for resilience. El Alto's current system losses are 38%, and reducing these could meet 20% of future demand. Irrigation losses, currently near 90%, could be reduced to 60% through infrastructure improvements.
• Industrial pollution in El Alto heavily contaminates the Seco, Seque, and Hernani rivers, which flow into Lake Titicaca. While a wastewater treatment plant was opened in Puchukollo in 2010, it lacks the necessary piping to connect to industrial zones.

APA

Buxton, N., Escobar, M., Purkey, D., & Lima, N. (2013). Water scarcity, climate change and Bolivia: Planning for climate uncertainties. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-DiscussionBrief-Escobar-Spanish-BoliviaWaterClimate.pdf

Chicago

Buxton, Nick, Marisa Escobar, David Purkey, and Nilo Lima. Water scarcity, climate change and Bolivia: Planning for climate uncertainties. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2013. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-DiscussionBrief-Escobar-Spanish-BoliviaWaterClimate.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Buxton |first1=Nick |last2=Escobar |first2=Marisa |last3=Purkey |first3=David |last4=Lima |first4=Nilo |title=Water scarcity, climate change and Bolivia: Planning for climate uncertainties |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2013 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-DiscussionBrief-Escobar-Spanish-BoliviaWaterClimate.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{buxton2013water, author = {Buxton, Nick and Escobar, Marisa and Purkey, David and Lima, Nilo}, title = {{Water scarcity, climate change and Bolivia: Planning for climate uncertainties}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2013}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-DiscussionBrief-Escobar-Spanish-BoliviaWaterClimate.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }