In the Santa Lucia River Basin located are the city of Montevideo, the capital of the Republic of Uruguay, and its Metropolitan Area, rural Montevideo, San Jose Prefecture, Canelones Prefecture, Florida Prefecture and Lavalleja Prefecture. The area accounts for approximately 10% of the national territory and has a population of approximately two million, 60% of the whole nation population.

The water quality in this area has been deteriorated because of increasing domestic loads, industrial discharges produced by the concentration of industries, illegal dumping of solid wastes in the urban zones, and agricultural activities using fertilizers and chemicals, which resulted in affecting the drinking water sources in the rural areas.

To face this environmental deterioration, the Government of Uruguay, with a support from the Government of Japan, decided to promote a project of Institutional Strengthening.

The prime objectives of the project were to improve the river water quality in Montevideo and the Metropolitan Area; to enhance the public consciousness on environment hygiene; and to prevent future water pollution.