AQUA365: Student-Driven Solutions for Water Challenges in Vulnerable Communities- The experience applied to the “El Alfalfal” community (#2447)

Authors

Olmedo, Camila

Leguia, Alvaro

Abstract

In the face of Chile’s growing water scarcity—where over two million people lack guaranteed access to potable water—Ingeniería Sin Fronteras Chile (ISF Chile) and the University of Chile launched AQUA365, a humanitarian engineering program empowering university students to co-design scalable water solutions with vulnerable communities. Initially launched as a national hackathon in 2021, the program evolved into an annual, multidisciplinary platform that brings together students from diverse institutions and fields to work on real-world water-related challenges. AQUA365 is built upon a robust methodology in which each student team tackles a specific, community-defined challenge, ensuring both direct local impact and a strong sense of ownership over the proposed solution. Throughout the program, participants receive training on socio-environmental issues and humanitarian engineering, while also benefiting from mentorship by experts across technical and social disciplines. This paper presents the evolution of the program and explores a case study in the mountain community of El Alfalfal, where students co-developed a slow sand filter adapted to local conditions. The experience illustrates how interdisciplinary collaboration and community participation enhance both the technical robustness and social acceptance of engineering solutions.