The Huarpe community posses a complex and tangled history with water. Their ancestors constructed acequias for irrigation farming, prior to the arrival of colonizers, that are still used in what is now Mendoza Capital. Modern day conflicts with water include lack of potable drinking water and the construction of the Potrerillos Dam which led to the drying of the river and lake used for farming, caring for livestock, and fishing. The lack of water has also generated issues relating to climate change and loss of materials for artisanship. Despite government initiatives promoting handwashing there continues to be a lack of action by the government to remedy the issues at hand.