With nearly three million people relying on its services, EPMAPS - Agua de Quito plays a central role in Ecuador’s capital. At the helm is Verónica Sánchez, General Manager and a career professional at the utility with 17 years of sector experience. Verónica’s leadership combines strategic planning, financial insight, and a strong social commitment. She views benchmarking as a core corporate practice: one that helps compare performance, identify gaps, and translate findings into concrete improvement plans embedded in the utility’s strategy. EPMAPS has been benchmarking since 2014 and joined NewIBNET in 2021. One of the most striking insights from its benchmarking results is the relatively low level of wastewater collected and treated compared to regional and global averages. This evidence has elevated wastewater treatment to a top corporate priority and underpins a USD 900 million investment program for new plants and river decontamination. For Verónica, NewIBNET’s value lies in centralizing strategic information and enabling global comparison, particularly around tariffs, service levels, and sustainability. Looking ahead, benchmarking will help track progress as Quito expands wastewater treatment coverage, replaces aging pipelines, and closes remaining service gaps. Her story shows how benchmarking can turn uncomfortable numbers into a powerful driver for large-scale environmental action. At the IWA Water & Development Congress in Bangkok, Verónica Sánchez represented Agua de Quito as a 2025 Data Pioneer, sharing how EPMAPS uses benchmarking to identify performance gaps (particularly in wastewater treatment) and to prioritize large-scale, long-term investments that support Quito’s ambitious river decontamination and sanitation expansion strategy. Image