Exploring water (in)securities in a water-abundant setting: hydrosocial dynamics and local strategies in Central-South Chile

• Water scarcity is not limited to arid and semi-arid regions. • Infrastructural constraints and social entanglements are key for water shortages. • Policies need to consider local peculiarities instead of “one-fits-all” solutions. Chile is experiencing complex hydrosocial crises, exacerbated by a prolonged period of drought. In the context of water scarcity and related resource conflicts, not only limited availability, but also questions of access to water play a crucial role. While most studies have focused on water insecurities in the semi-arid and arid regions of the country, less attention has been paid to southern Chile. However, the construction of hydropower plants in Indigenous territories has put a strain on relations between the state, the Mapuche populations and hydroelectric companies, and affected water availability in this part of the country. Drawing on concepts of water security and environmental governance, we investigate water insecurities in seemingly water-abundant areas, using examples from the Los Rios region in Central-South Chile. Through qualitative social research methods including interviews and ethnographic observations conducted between 2019 and 2023, we found that problems of access to water surface within the green scenery affect population groups unequally. Based on the empirical case study, we argue that specific cultural, social and economic contexts influence decision-making processes regarding access to resources. Multiple factors limit or grant access to water, including financial issues, disputes within local communities and social networks, as well as the emergence of new economic activities, particularly tourism. In addition, a lack of coordination between governmental agencies at horizontal and vertical levels affects water governance. Therefore, our results are of socio-political relevance for possible reforms to water legislation and for the discourse on environmental justice and adaptive water governance.