Wayuu woman near a water reserve in La Guajira, Colombia.
Jessica belmont
Colombia is rich in water, but that wealth does not reach all Colombians.
Although it is one of the nine territories in the world with the greatest water resources, a third of its urban population is affected by water stress.
As a result of climate change and population growth, the availability of water has been declining for the past two decades.
From extreme droughts to severe floods, Colombia is already showing symptoms of water insecurity throughout its territory, reflecting its problems of "excess, scarcity and contamination" of water.
In a new report titled
Changing the Course: Improving Water Security to Promote Recovery and Sustainable Growth in Colombia
, measures to mitigate the negative impacts of these water-related crises are analyzed and priority investments are recommended to improve the performance of the water sector. water and catalyze its potential to drive growth and recovery after covid-19.
The document was launched this Wednesday at ACODAL, within the framework of the 63rd International Congress on Water, Sanitation, Environment and Renewable Energies - EXPOAGUA 2020.
The water challenges facing Colombia
According to studies carried out by the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies, 318 municipalities are already exposed to the risk of water scarcity, and the long-term trend indicates that many more will suffer the same fate.
Climate change is increasing rainfall anomalies, and average temperatures are expected to increase by as much as 2.14 degrees by the end of the century.
The likely result will be an increased number of droughts and floods, an increase in the frequency and intensity of El Niño and La Niña phenomena, and the rapid and constant loss of glaciers, which have already retreated by 60% in the last 50 years. .
Water pollution, another serious problem, is increasingly degrading the quality of the country's water resources and damaging its ecosystems.
In many regions, the water is so polluted that direct contact is dangerous.
The health burdens imposed by water pollution create vicious cycles of poverty, inequality and forced mobility.
Contaminated water and rainfall uncertainty are also affecting the stability of farm incomes, which are essential for the country's rural and remote areas to prosper.
In Colombia, where the rate of internal displacement is one of the highest in the world, rainfall uncertainty and increased water pollution are accelerating displacement, posing difficulties for the Government when drafting territorial development plans and policies. inclusive in rural areas.
Although the country has adopted fundamental measures to improve the institutional framework for water, the sector is still governed by many conflicting interests, laws and sources of financing, which separate the design, implementation and monitoring of policies and investments.
Considerable deficiencies in water services still persist: coverage of safely managed water supply reached 73% nationally (40% in rural areas) and coverage of safely managed sanitation only 17 %.
The impact of covid-19 in the water sector
The covid-19 pandemic has imposed huge limitations on water service providers across the country.
Maintaining continuity of service and even increasing water supply levels during the emergency phase of the crisis have posed a great challenge for providers.
Additional pressure on these originated from declining incomes, due to difficulties households face in paying bills and increased public mandates related to water supply.
To this have been added the increase in costs (overtime, the incorporation of temporary staff, and the importation of inputs, such as chemical products) and the limitations in terms of provision and coverage of the service, since there are areas that lack access or where continuity of service is poor.
Another aspect is related to the debt, to pay the financing granted by international financial institutions, or the debts with local banks and public-private alliances.
These problems that have arisen with the pandemic require strengthening the development of the sector and promoting higher allocations of public financing.
Water supply and sanitation services are essential and, if affected by interruptions or suspensions, can quickly cause a cost accumulation for the economy in terms of human capital.
Although the government has acted swiftly to mitigate some of these impacts through emergency measures, addressing current service gaps and pressing financial constraints will pose an even greater challenge than in the past.
For the post-covid-19 stage, Colombia has developed a recovery plan that includes four pillars: job creation, green growth, targeting support for the poor and vulnerable, and emphasis on rural areas, peace and security. .
The right investments in water security will lead to job creation, a balance between green infrastructure and gray infrastructure, and improved health conditions for the poor and vulnerable.
Incorporating these investments in territorial development will reduce migration to cities, as well as the number of people moving within the country, and will promote peace and security, the experts say in the report.
Water solutions for Colombia
Without significant investments in existing and new water infrastructure works and without a review of the current institutional framework, Colombia's enormous potential for water capital will continue to be wasted.
The report recommended several priority areas in which it is appropriate for the country to adopt measures aimed, for example, to strengthen the institutional framework, promote territorial development, increase resilience and take advantage of the circular economy (in which wastewater already they are not seen as waste, but as a valuable resource in the context of water scarcity).
More specifically, any significant improvement in water security would have a direct impact on the social, environmental and economic development of the country.
For example, the Canal del Dique Project, which is part of the Government's recovery plan, is an investment that could generate more jobs, economic opportunities for the communities in the area, and the restoration of valuable ecosystems in the region.
The study highlights the importance of modernizing the sector's institutions as multiple ministries are involved in managing resources, providing services, and mitigating risks.
Institutional reforms could improve collaboration, reduce overlap, increase accountability and transparency, and facilitate the implementation of multipurpose projects.
To promote inclusion and territorial development, it is essential to invest in areas that lack water supply and sanitation services.
Clearly, all of these recommendations are linked to the priorities set by the Government to achieve recovery, which include job creation, green growth, targeting the needs of the poor and vulnerable, improving livelihoods in rural areas and the promotion of peace and security.
Li Lou
is a communicator for the World Bank.