Preparing for the 2025 Ecuador Oil Spill Disaster: Safeguarding Water Sources

Abstract

Course name Instructor’s name Assignment due date Milestone 2 Preparation: 2025 Ecuador Oil Spill The topic I chose for the second milestone on preparation and planning is ocean and fresh water contamination resulting from an oil spill. I focused on the 2025 Ecuador oil spill that caused pollution on rivers, soil, and ocean water when an oil pipeline system raptured. On March 13, 2025, the Trans-Ecuadorian Oil Pipeline System raptured as a result of a heavy rains that caused landslides in the region. The event caused the contamination of rivers Caple, Esmeraldas, and Viche leading to the disruption of the access to drinking water for thousands of people (IFRC, 2025). I chose the topic since it describes a unique aspect of how the interaction between natural events and human-made systems can cause pollution disasters. Additionally, events that affect the safety and access of drinking water have the potential for significant human consequences. Populations depending on water for domestic and agricultural use face threats from oil spills occurring in sources of drinking water. Planning and preparedness is essential to facilitate adequate and timely response to events that cause pollution disasters with the potential for contaminating fresh water sources. Pollution results from the entry of foreign compounds in the water, air, and soil resources affecting target populations. The topic connects to the wellbeing of the society since it shows how natural events can disrupt human-made systems leading to disasters. Over 300,000 people faced lack of access to clean tap water and thousands others were directly exposed to chemicals as a result of the oil spill in Eduardo (IFRC, 2025). There are potential long-term effects of the pollution on the health and wellbeing of the communities in regions affected by the oil spill....