Comprehensive Management Model for the Environmental Protection of Bodies of Water in Machala

• Rafael Gilberto Zhindon Almeida University of Machala, Ecuador https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3901-1829
• Jazmin Anai Avila Treviño American University of Europe, Mexico https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3583-1050

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20138278

Keywords: Environmental management, Social responsibility, Environmental indicators, Community participation

Abstract

This research developed and validated an environmental management model to protect water in Machala, combining quantitative analysis of water quality with qualitative assessment of community and institutional perceptions. The study is non-experimental and cross-sectional with an exploratory-descriptive scope, applying stratified probabilistic sampling for surveys (n=384), intentional sampling for semi-structured interviews and focus groups, and systematic sampling for laboratory analysis at 15 strategic points. The results revealed an ICA of 56.26 (regular range), microbiological contamination by fecal coliforms 7.5 times above the limit, pH and dissolved oxygen remained at the allowed limit. The community critically evaluated the environmental commitment (M=2.53), zero communication transparency, and the absence of formal participatory mechanisms. The proposed model articulates technical monitoring with community participation and corporate social responsibility, establishing cross-validation protocols that transcend traditional approaches; it contributes to the theoretical development of water management by demonstrating that the integration of IWRM-CSR requires deep institutional transformations to materialize benefits. The findings provide transferable tools for public companies in the water sector and set methodological precedents for the simultaneous evaluation of technical and social variables in municipal water management systems.

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