The city of Quito offers a leading example of the potential for developing markets that channel
economic demand for water to upstream areas from which it is supplied. In Quito’s case, the
availability of water for the city of about 1.5 million inhabitants and
surrounding areas depends on the conservation of protected areas
upstream, with 80 per cent of the water supply originating in two ecological reserves, the CayambeCoca
(400,000 ha) and the Antisana