An analysis of court cases involving water rights, show a marked increase in filings since 2008. A total of 134 cases have been filed since 2010 and most are related to the protection of water sources (60.5 percent), access to safe drinking water (35 percent) and the need for sanitation (4.5 percent). In particular communities are now organizing to ensure water rights where in the past most cases were started by environmental groups.
According to national ombudsman Tatiana Mora, the country lacks good management practices for the water supply. The system is hampered by overlapping powers between institutions and a host of laws and regulations.