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El Ciudadano

Original article: De residuo a recurso: Proyecto para reutilizar aguas grises con nanotecnología inicia fase piloto en comunidad mapuche de Padre Las Casas

Water scarcity in the La Araucanía Region has shifted from a distant threat to a structural vulnerability impacting rural communities.

According to an analysis of data from the 2022 Casen Survey, 7.8% of the indigenous population in Chile faces challenges accessing drinking water, a figure that is three times higher than that of non-indigenous sectors.

In La Araucanía, 10.6% of the population relies on water delivery trucks for their supply.

In this context, the safe reuse and management of grey water generated from sinks and showers emerges as an alternative treatment method, transforming a household waste into a useful resource for homes.

Against this backdrop, the Catholic University of Temuco (UCT), in collaboration with researchers from the University of Bío-Bío, has been awarded the project «Ko ta Küme Kuñilnien» (the good care of water), funded by the Research and Development Fund in Health (FONIS 2025) from the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID).

The initiative brings together an interdisciplinary team focused on addressing water scarcity through the development of nanotechnology.

The project’s central proposal, according to project director Dr. Patricia Oliveira, a researcher at UCT, «involves creating high-precision filtering membranes aimed at restoring water purity for non-potable uses, reducing pressure on the limited natural sources in the area.»

Solutions for the Region

The deployment of this technology will face its first test in households of the Mapuche community Kiñel Mapu Truf Truf, which currently lacks access to potable water, in the municipality of Padre Las Casas, where a pilot phase will integrate solutions based on waste from the forestry industry.

This way, science aims to position Chile at the forefront of sustainable solutions tailored to the realities of indigenous territories.

«What defines the essence of this project is its deep intercultural focus, which recognizes water (Ko) as the force that empowers (Newen) all beings according to the Mapuche worldview. Beyond the technical solution, the initiative seeks community empowerment through training sessions and the provision of bilingual educational materials in Spanish and Mapudungun,» explained Dr. Patricia Oliveira.

Meanwhile, UCT’s Vice-Rector for Research and Graduate Studies, Dr. Claudio Inostroza, emphasized, «This innovative project demonstrates our commitment to the territory and the vision that science and innovation should be accessible to the population, helping to improve people’s quality of life and our ecosystem.»

«Furthermore, the collaborative work with the University of Bío-Bío reflects the synergies that occur when academic efforts unite to achieve high-impact initiatives,» noted the academic from UCT.

By integrating ancestral knowledge with technological development, the project «Ko ta Küme Kuñilnien» aims to improve living conditions in rural communities with limited access to water. In this regard, the initiative is projected as an alternative for water management in other regions of the country.

The Citizen

La entrada From Waste to Resource: Pilot Project on Grey Water Reuse with Nanotechnology Launches in Mapuche Community of Padre Las Casas se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.