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