Laboratory of Social Innovation in Water Engineering and its effect on the provision of drinking water service in rural areas and marginalized urban areas

The provision of drinking water service in rural areas and marginalized urban areas is a challenge, mainly due to the dispersion that communities and the environment where they are located due to their isolation and difficult access. Data from the United Nations Organization indicate that 884 million people in the world and approximately 7 million in Mexico do not have access to drinking water. On average, only 75% of homes in rural areas receive drinking water through a pipe.Among the benefits provided by this service are the increase in well-being and the development of economic activities.Aware of the importance of prioritizing the supply of drinking water, particularly in vulnerable areas, the laboratory for social innovation in water engineering emerged in this institution with the purpose of designing, building, and sustainably operating drinking water supply systems.This paper presents the results of the impact of the innovation laboratory on students to design a water pipeline, from a nearby source of supply to a community that lacks drinking water supply. The results show the development of disciplinary and transversal competences to achieve significant learning in water sustainability.