LA PARADOJA DE LA DISPONIBILIDAD DE AGUA DE MALA CALIDAD EN EL SECTOR RURAL COLOMBIANO

Abstract

Colombia is still a water resources rich country. Water availability in the country exceeds 68 cubic meters per inhabitant per day. The runoff draining to the Pacific Ocean, the Caribbean, the Orinoco River and Amazonas River exceeds 64000 cubic meters per second. Even, groundwater reserves, most not exploited, exceed 5000 cubic kilometers. Despite the large amount of water quantity, paradoxically, water pollution problems are severe, limiting effectively water availability for different uses. Potable water supply in rural areas of Colombia does not exceeds 35 %, coverage of sewer systems is less than 15 % and the percentage of waste water discharged without any treatment to the receiving waters is about 60 % of the treated flow, even worst, is only about 15 % as a percentage of the removed load. Additionally, a large percentage of industrial served water is also dumped without an adequate treatment to the same receiving waters, and diffuse pollution during the rainy seasons occurs from agricultural, urban and mining areas to rivers, lagoons and reservoirs of the country. There is a large ignorance of the problem of water pollution that results in lack of awareness of the people and politicians. The lack of investment in waste water treatment is synonymous of lack of investment in diseases prevention, that result in severe public health problems and higher costs in terms of medicines, medical attention and the use of health centers and hospitals, mainly in the rural sector, due to water pollution with pathogens and toxic substances. The availability of polluted water for irrigation, recreation, ecological preservation and potable water supply generates serious water uses conflicts and puts human and ecosystem health at risk. It is urgent to become aware of the scope of the water pollution problem; to get back on track with the development and execution of priority plans for investment in domestic wastewater treatment; to control industrial and illegal dumping; and to train rural population massively in the implementation of decentralized systems of potable water supply and wastewater treatment.