- Thanks to the well’s deepening and improvement, the school now has a reliable water supply even during the months when river levels drop to a minimum due to drought.
- For both students and teachers, as well as the broader Huandar community, this project means improved health and a better quality of life.
A Strategic Alliance to Tackle Water Scarcity
As part of the ongoing partnership between the Wiese Foundation and the Wiñaypaq Educational Association, a decision was made to address, once and for all, the recurring water shortages affecting the school—managed by the Association—during the dry season (when aquifers, rivers, and lakes reach their lowest water levels).
To make this happen, the Wiese Foundation contracted the services of its strategic partner, Adra Peru. Together, they carried out the project titled "IMPROVEMENT OF THE WATER FLOW CAPACITY OF THE EXISTING WELL AT WIÑAYPAQ SCHOOL", which aimed to deepen and upgrade the school’s water well to ensure year-round supply.
Wiñaypaq Educational Institution. Image: Wiñaypaq Educational Association
Who Benefits and How?
This project directly promoted better health conditions and improved the quality of life for all students and teachers at the school.
Thanks to this initiative, Wiñaypaq School can now use water drawn permanently from the Vilcanota River through the improved well to handle routine cleaning and maintenance tasks. This allows the small amount of water previously sourced from the highland springs to be reserved exclusively for human consumption.
As a result, the intervention has also helped increase the availability of spring water for the entire Huandar community.
Aerial view of the project location: Cusco region, Calca province, Pisac district, Huandar village
What Work Was Done on the Well?
The project was carried out between August 21 and September 9, 2022. During this period, several key tasks were completed to deepen and improve the well’s infrastructure.
A depth of 1.20 meters was achieved by carefully breaking and blasting the rock at the bottom of the well, followed by reshaping its profile. Specialists confirmed that at this depth, the water pump works consistently and efficiently, even during the dry season. Improvements were also made to the well’s internal structure, and a metal cover was installed to enhance safety. All work was carried out under strict occupational health and safety (OHS) protocols aligned with the Wiese Foundation’s standards.
Learn more about the Wiese Foundation’s collaboration with the Wiñaypaq Educational Association [here].
