Water Scarcity in Peru: Why Lima Lacks Water
Lima is home to more than 10 million people, yet it sits in a desert where it rarely rains. Every glass of water in the city depends on rivers that flow down from the Andes. For families on the hillsides at the city's edges, the tap often isn't an option at all: water arrives by truck, at a higher price, and has to be stored and rationed at home. That daily reality is the face of water scarcity in Peru.
The problem is not only about how much water exists. It's about where people live, how cities grow and who gets connected to the network first. In this article, you will learn why Lima struggles with water, who is most affected, how a lack of water connects to health and poverty, and how communities are responding.
Why Lima faces water scarcity in Peru
A city in the desert
According to Peru's national weather service, SENAMHI, Lima receives less than 15 millimeters of rain per year. A 2019 World Bank report describes it as the world's second-largest desert city after Cairo. Peru's statistics institute, INEI, projects that Lima's 43 districts, not counting Callao, had 10,432,133 inhabitants as of June 30, 2025, about 30.4% of the country's population.
Rivers fed by the Andes
The city depends mainly on three rivers: the Rímac, the Chillón and the Lurín. The OECD reports that the Rímac system generates 69% of the surface water in the area, the Chillón 20% and the Lurín 11%. These rivers are fed by rainfall and glaciers high in the Andes.
Climate pressure
The glaciers that feed these rivers have been shrinking for decades. A 2016 technical report by Peru's glacier research institute, INAIGEM, found that the Sullcón glacier shrank by about 46% between 1970 and 2016, reducing the reserves that feed the Rímac and Mantaro rivers. In August 2023, Sedapal, Lima's water utility, told El Comercio that the Huascacocha and Marcapomacocha lagoons, which supply the city, had lost 30% of their water volume.
Who is most affected by water scarcity in Lima?
Water scarcity doesn't affect everyone equally. According to a 2024 article in Kulturaustausch, about 635,000 people in Lima have no access to water, and another 370,000 are connected to the mains but receive water for less than six hours a day.
Hillside communities
Many families without a connection live in human settlements on the rocky hillsides around the city. Many of these neighborhoods grew as families built homes on available land, before water lines reached them. Our article on shantytowns in transition explains how these neighborhoods are changing.
Paying more for less
Families without a connection often rely on water trucks. A study by Sunass, Peru's water regulator, published in March 2026 and based on 2025 measurements in 16 peri-urban districts of Lima and Callao, found that unconnected households pay on average six times more for water than households connected to the network.
| Challenge | What it means for families |
|---|---|
| No household connection | Dependence on water trucks |
| Higher cost | Less money for food, school and health |
| Limited hours of supply | Storing and rationing water at home |
| Steep terrain | Carrying heavy containers uphill |
How water scarcity connects to health and poverty
When water is scarce and expensive, every use becomes a trade-off: drinking, cooking, cleaning or bathing. That affects hygiene and health, especially for children. Our article on health and housing explores how safe homes and services improve health outcomes.
Water access is also linked to land rights. In many settlements, families need legal recognition of their land before they can request public utilities. Permanent community infrastructure, like staircases and retaining walls, can support those efforts.
How communities respond
Communities find practical ways to stretch every liter. Some build storage and distribution systems, others use low-water sanitation. Our article on how eco-friendly bathrooms help communities facing water scarcity shows one approach.
Safe Homes Movement, powered by MEDLIFE, works with communities in Lima, Cusco and Tena on the infrastructure they prioritize. Every project follows a 50/50 model: residents identify the need and work on site, while local architects and engineers lead the design and supervise construction. Students take part on the development service learning trip, which begins with a Reality Tour of the communities and continues with build days alongside residents.
Learn about water where it matters most
Water scarcity in Peru becomes real when you meet the families who plan their days around it.
Fill out the form to get dates, eligibility details and next steps for the Development Service Learning Trip.
Frequently asked questions
Why is there water scarcity in Peru?
Lima, home to about 30% of Peru's population, sits in a coastal desert with less than 15 millimeters of rain a year. The city depends on rivers fed by the Andes, and many hillside neighborhoods still lack connections to the water network.
How many people in Lima lack access to water?
According to a 2024 Kulturaustausch report, about 635,000 people in Lima have no access to water, and another 370,000 receive water for less than six hours a day.
How do families without water connections get water in Lima?
Many rely on water trucks and store water in tanks or containers at home. These households often pay more per liter than families connected to the network.