Water resources management deficiencies from an environmental perspective: An assessment of the shanty towns of Peri-urban Metropolitan Lima

The rapid increase in population has a considerable influence on the environment and poses a substantial challenge for the development of peri‑urban areas worldwide. These human settlements are becoming increasingly common: shanty towns or peri‑urban areas, where essential services such as direct water supply and sewage systems are often deficient. The need for strategic planning to facilitate urban adaptation to emerging issues and mitigate adverse trends is substantial. This study examines the primary environmental issue of inaccessible direct water distribution and the lack of sanitation affecting peri‑urban metropolitan Lima, which is home to over 1 million residents. The development in Lima's urban areas and shanty towns reflects a swift transformation in land use due to both regulated and unregulated urbanization. The population of the shantytowns in the peri‑urban region of Lima is generally impoverished. Water quality is a significant issue in the community, as water tanks are exposed to environmental influences and contaminated by various types of pollutants. Therefore, immediate intervention from the government is needed to guarantee that peri‑urban residents have access to safe drinking water: SEDAPAL managing water distribution and overseeing the water quality, and educating the communities on how to preserve water is an essential task. Research methods to ensure a proper analysis included GIS, community surveys, stakeholder interviews, and water sampling assessment by spectrophotometric analysis specifically for heavy metals. These assessments involve establishing accessible and sustainable water and sanitation systems for all communities and citizens. Nonetheless, there is a substantial population of shantytowns in the peri‑urban areas of metropolitan Lima.