Why is Lima’s desert setting a challenge for the city’s water supply?

Lima’s location within a coastal desert creates significant challenges for its water supply by placing constant pressure on limited natural resources. Because the local environment lacks sufficient freshwater, the city cannot rely solely on its immediate surroundings.123

Historically, Lima depended on the Rímac River and shallow local wells, but the city's rapid growth has necessitated the diversion of water from lakes and rivers located high in the Andes Mountains. This reliance on distant sources, combined with the city's arid setting, complicates urban planning and results in uneven access to water, particularly for residents living in pueblos jóvenes on the city's outskirts. These logistical and environmental constraints underscore the ongoing difficulty of sustaining a large metropolitan population in a desert climate.42