The intangibility of water supply sources intended for human consumption in Madre de Dios has been declared a matter of regional interest and public necessity, given its importance for the provision of this natural resource.
This declaration is contained in Ordinance 013-2026-RMDD/CR, issued by the Regional Council of Madre de Dios, which is published in today’s edition of the Official Gazette “El Peruano”, in the legal regulations section.
The ordinance specifies that the declaration encompasses water supply sources used for human consumption by Sanitation Service Providers (EPS) and Sanitation Service Management Boards (JASS) in Madre de Dios.
These include ecosystems located within the watersheds and inter-watersheds of the Madre de Dios, Tambopata, Inambari, Las Piedras, Tahuamanu, Heath, and Acre rivers.
They are described as “strategic areas for water security, climate resilience, agricultural productivity, and the social well-being of the region.”
The ordinance also acknowledges the importance of these water sources for the conservation of biodiversity and for improving the quality of life of the populations living nearby, helping to meet their primary needs.
This ordinance was approved during a session held by the Regional Council of the Madre de Dios Regional Government on Thursday, June 18, of this year. Rationale for the Declaration
The grounds for this declaration include the identification of environmental risks in the Nueva population center—located in the Huepetuhe district, Manu province—stemming from mining concessions situated within the areas of natural water sources.
The ordinance states that this situation poses threats to “the conservation and quality of said water sources, due to extractive activities, deforestation, and the alteration of the ecosystem.”
In this regard, it is emphasized that protecting these water sources is a matter of public interest and regional priority, and that they should be designated as an “Intangible Water Zone.”
“Therefore, it is technically, environmentally, and socially feasible to promote the declaration—as a matter of public necessity and regional interest—of the intangibility of water sources, headwaters, and water catchment areas within the Madre de Dios region,” the ordinance notes.
It is further stated that this designation should extend to “all sanitation service providers (EPS and JASS), given their strategic importance in ensuring a sustainable supply of water for human consumption, the conservation of the Peruvian Amazon, and the general well-being.”
The ordinance also mandates the formation of a technical team tasked with preventing social conflicts related to water.
This team is to include one representative from the Regional Directorate for Social Development and one from the Regional Directorate for Planning, Budget, and Territorial Organization, along with 10 additional representatives from other departments.
Furthermore, it is noted that a previous regional ordinance had already established the protection, preservation, and sustainable management of the headwaters—the upper reaches of the tributaries, streams, and rivers—in Madre de Dios as a matter of regional interest and priority, with the aim of ensuring the availability of essential natural resources and the conservation of the region’s biodiversity.
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(END) FGM/MAO / MDV
Publicado: 21/10/2026