CHILE · MARKETS
Key Facts
- —What is happening Aguas Andinas, the water utility of Greater Santiago, will cut supply to parts of four communes from 15:00 on Thursday, 22 October, for between seven and 15 hours.
- —Why it matters The cuts are planned works, not an emergency, and they follow first half profit of 77.5 billion pesos (about US$80 million) and 27% higher investment.
- —The numbers Colina is cut until 03:00 on Friday, Recoleta until 06:00 on Friday, and Renca and Talagante until 22:00 on Thursday, while first half investment reached 91.6 billion pesos (about US$94 million).
- —Who is who Aguas Andinas is the regulated utility that supplies drinking water and sewerage to Santiago, and Colina, Recoleta, Renca and Talagante are communes, the city districts, of the Santiago region.
- —What to watch Whether supply returns by the announced times, and whether the company names the works behind the cuts, which the published notice does not.
- —Power Index Chile ranks 3rd of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 63.6 points (October 2026 edition).
- —What it means for you Residents and visitors in the four communes should store water before 15:00, and investors can note that nothing in the notice points to a financial impact.
Aguas Andinas, the water utility of Santiago, has scheduled supply cuts in four communes on Thursday, 22 October. The longest lasts 15 hours.
Aguas Andinas, the water utility that serves Greater Santiago, has scheduled supply cuts in parts of four communes on Thursday, 22 October. The affected communes are Colina, Recoleta, Renca and Talagante.
All four cuts start at 15:00 and last between seven and 15 hours. The works are planned, and the company has not described an emergency.
What Aguas Andinas Announced for Thursday
Meganoticias, a Chilean news outlet, reported the notice late on Wednesday, 21 October, citing the company’s website. It wrote that the cuts are needed for “distintos trabajos”, meaning various works.
In Colina, supply stops at 15:00 on Thursday and returns at 03:00 on Friday, 23 October, a gap of 12 hours. In Recoleta, a district just north of central Santiago, it stops at 15:00 and is due back at 06:00 on Friday.
That makes Recoleta the longest cut, at 15 hours. Renca and Talagante are shorter, with supply stopped from 15:00 until 22:00 on Thursday, a gap of seven hours.
Meganoticias headlined the notice as cuts of “up to 12 hours”, but its own schedule for Recoleta runs three hours longer. The perimeters of each affected zone are shown on the company’s outage map, which readers should check for their street.
How Often Santiago Gets Planned Water Cuts
Planned cuts of this kind are a regular feature of life in the Santiago region. La Tercera listed three communes with scheduled cuts on Wednesday, 30 September, citing Aguas Andinas.
On Wednesday, 14 October, Meganoticias reported cuts in Quinta Normal, Puente Alto, El Bosque and La Reina for up to 12 hours. Those were also described as maintenance work.
The Thursday notice follows the same pattern, so it is routine rather than a sign of a new supply problem. The notice does not say which pipes, valves or networks are being worked on.
Aguas Andinas Water Cuts and the Company’s Results
Aguas Andinas is listed on the Santiago stock exchange, and its first half results were published on 20 August. Net profit was 77.526 billion pesos (about US$80 million), up 1.758 billion pesos (about US$1.8 million) from a year earlier.
Revenue rose 6.6% to 386.383 billion pesos (about US$396 million). EBITDA, operating profit before interest, tax and depreciation, rose 7.5% to 200.885 billion pesos (about US$206 million).
The company said it invested 91.614 billion pesos (about US$94 million) in the half, 27% more than a year earlier. It linked the spending to its Biociudad plan, which covers water security for Greater Santiago.
It also kept its debt ratings at AA+ locally and A- internationally. Conversions in this article use the rate of 22 October 2026, 974.77 pesos to the US dollar, from open.er-api.com.
The State Stake in Chile’s Water Utilities
Chile’s government is studying a sale of its minority water utility stakes, The Rio Times reported on 3 August. The roughly 5% holdings in Aguas Andinas, Esval, Essbio and Suralis sit with Corfo, the state development agency.
A separate Rio Times report examined whether a sale would cost the state its veto over water deals. This article found no new decision on that sale on Thursday.
What It Means for US Readers
A traveller or expatriate in Santiago should store drinking water and check the company’s outage map for the exact street. The cuts run through the evening and, in two communes, overnight.
For investors, a scheduled cut does not change the picture from the first half results. Aguas Andinas trades in Santiago, and the notice contains no figure that points to a cost or a regulatory fine.
Background on the company is in the Aguas Andinas company profile and in Chile Explained. See also Chile markets and Chile coverage.
What Is Not Known
The company’s own outage page could not be opened, so the schedule rests on one news outlet citing it. A second outlet with the Thursday schedule could not be found when this article was written.
It is not known which works the company is carrying out, how many homes are affected, or whether the timetable will hold. The notice does not explain the difference between the “12 hours” in the headline and the 15 hours in Recoleta.
What Comes Next
Supply should return in Renca and Talagante at 22:00 on Thursday, then in Colina at 03:00 and Recoleta at 06:00. The notice gives no sign of an extension.
The company has not given a date for its third quarter results in the sources reviewed. Those results would show how much it spent on works like these over the nine months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Aguas Andinas cutting water on Thursday?
Aguas Andinas is cutting supply in parts of Colina, Recoleta, Renca and Talagante on Thursday, 22 October. Exact perimeters are on the company’s outage map.
How long will the water cuts last?
Renca and Talagante are cut from 15:00 to 22:00, Colina until 03:00 on Friday and Recoleta until 06:00 on Friday. That is between seven and 15 hours.
Why is Aguas Andinas cutting the water?
The notice cites various works but does not name them. Similar planned cuts were announced on 30 September and 14 October.
What is Aguas Andinas?
Aguas Andinas is the regulated utility supplying drinking water and sewerage to Greater Santiago. Its shares are listed on the Santiago stock exchange.
How did Aguas Andinas do in the first half?
Net profit was 77.526 billion pesos (about US$80 million), and revenue was 386.383 billion pesos (about US$396 million). Investment rose 27% to 91.614 billion pesos (about US$94 million).
Sources: Meganoticias, 21 October; Meganoticias, 14 October; La Tercera, 30 September; Aguas Andinas press release, 20 August; exchange rate, open.er-api.com, 22 October (all accessed 22 October 2026).
In depth
Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error
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