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Volvamos a la fuente

Agua, saneamiento y residuos solidos

OLAS Data: Updated and reliable data on water and sanitation

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ESPAÑOL

The Water and Sanitation Observatory for Latin America and the Caribbean (OLAS), a digital platform that collects information on water and sanitation in Latin America and the Caribbean, contributes to the generation and publication of robust data related to Sustainable Development Goal 6. The concept for a water and sanitation data observatory for the region was launched at the LATINOSAN 2013. It materialized from the Declaration of San José at the LATINOSAN 2019, which established the countries’ commitment to create and implement the OLAS. 

The second iteration of the OLAS platform, which was launched in late March 2024, incorporates several new features, including data visualization tools, knowledge resources, and functionalities aimed at improving collaboration through sectoral events and opportunities. 

New functionalities 

  • Users can visit the resource repository to search over 200 research papers, national publications, and datasets related to water and sanitation in the region. The repository allows users to search by terms, categories, year of publication and geographic coverage. 

The new page offers several new functionalities related to data visualization and management. Users can:  

  • search by topic or key word and explore associated datasets, methodologies and visualizations on the indicators page;   
  • explore quick insights using dashboards associated with water and sanitation access, water scarcity, and governance on the visualizations page; and 
  • cross their own data with OLAS data sets on the OLAS WebMap, a geospatial visualization tool. 

The new iteration of the platform seeks to improve available knowledge resources. Users can: 

  • Use the directory of institutions to locate agencies, companies, and non-governmental organizations associated with service provision, regulation, and water resources management throughout the region;  
  • Follow the status of the OLAS’s national data diagnostics, which analyze the data ecosystems for countries throughout the region and produce improvement plans to facilitate better data production, transparency, and processing within the sector; 
  • Access Toolkits, which are groupings of resources focused on specific topics, creating a one-stop-shop for background research on issues related to water and sanitation; 
  • Access Fact Sheets, which provide short summaries of datasets, projects and publications produced by the OLAS and the IDB’s Water and Sanitation Knowledge team.  

The site focuses largely on improving communication with users and promoting collaboration in the region. Users can: 

  • View upcoming events, register to participate, and view information about past events, including agendas, presentations, and workshop results; 
  • See the members of the Research and Development Network, apply for research opportunities, register for online classes, and access research produced by RID members, or apply to join the Research and Development network; or  
  • Contact the OLAS with questions, comments, and suggestions. 

The new version of the platform also incorporates an administrator site, which allows members – national policy makers, members of the RID, and strategic partners – to upload data, documents, and other tools to the site, making it a true center for regional collaboration.  

The OLAS continues to expand and improve to better serve the region. Currently, the team is planning to incorporate a blog and newsletter, so that interested users can register to receive the region’s latest water and sanitation news. 


Maria Eugenia de la Peña

María Eugenia is a Lead Water and Sanitation Specialist at the IDB Representation in Panama, where she leads the dialogue with the Panamanian Government on issues related to water resource management, urban and rural water and sanitation, stormwater drainage, and solid waste management. Since 2011, she has worked at the IDB, participating in the design and implementation of water and sanitation projects in several Latin American and Caribbean countries. She has promoted various regional agendas, such as the circular economy in water and sanitation, the reuse of treated wastewater, the use of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS), and the measurement of greenhouse gas emissions in water and sanitation systems. In addition, she has coordinated the Water and Sanitation Observatory for Latin America and the Caribbean (OLAS) since its inception, promoting the proper management of regional sectoral data. Prior to joining the IDB, she worked at the National Water Commission in Mexico, where she was responsible for supporting water and sanitation companies through financing, technical assistance, and training. She also conducted community work in water and sanitation in rural communities in Mexico. María Eugenia is a civil engineer, graduated from the Faculty of Engineering of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), and holds a master's degree in Environmental Engineering from the Hamburg University of Technology in Germany.

Jesse Madden Libra

Jesse Libra is a Data Analyst Consultant for the Water and Sanitation Division of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), working with both the Knowledge team and the Latin American Water and Sanitation Observatory (OLAS), where she supports research, data production, and data analysis. Jesse holds a Masters of Science in Energy and Earth Resources and a Masters of Global Policy Studies, both from the University of Texas at Austin, where she specialized in international water management and climate change. She has experience working in policy development with the Texas House of Representatives and in community outreach and flood protection with the Texas Water Development Board. After leaving Texas for Mexico in 2017, she headed the Data Analytics area of a Google Cloud Platform Partner specializing in digital transformation until joining the IDB in late 2020.

Maria Alejandra Baquero

Consultant Economist for the Water and Sanitation Division of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), especially for the Latin American Water and Sanitation Observatory (OLAS) team, where she supports the different components of the platform, especially the document repository, the development of country diagnostics about the management of sectoral information, governance and relations with the countries of the region. Maria Alejandra has a MSc in Economics with an emphasis on quantitative methods and public policy and has experience in the water and sanitation sector both at the regional level and in Colombia, where she worked with the Ministry of Housing, City and Territory (MVCT), the Drinking Water and Basic Sanitation Regulatory Commission (CRA), among other sectoral entities in the country. His functions supported the formulation and implementation of public policy through the application of econometric models, as well as the monitoring of the execution of national sectoral resources.

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