water shortage in choco

Sofía Cifuentes

El Chocó, one of the most forgotten departments in Colombia, basic services such as
drinking water are scarce. Quibdó in the department of Chocó, which is considered,
according to the Geographical Society of Colombia, as the humid capital of the
world. It is located in one of the most rainy areas and is surrounded by one of the
most plentiful rivers such as Atrato, in addition to other currents that supply the
surrounding population. Despite this wealth, the water shortage is quite alarming.
Of the 126,000 people living in Quibdó, less than half have a tap in the house from
which drinking water sprouts. And only 15% of the waste ends up in a sewer. Most of
them go directly to the ravines, whose channels are insufficient to dilute human
waste. Unsanitary conditions and bad smell are perceived just by approaching some
of them, especially in the most humble neighborhoods, where neighbors crowd in
places that are flooded when the flow grows.

The use of rainwater and tributaries that surround the municipality has been a
common practice, however, diseases caused by the use of this liquid are common.
Virgelina Rentería Tapias, coordinator of the Health Post, a forgotten place that
has two doctors, a nurse, a bacteriologist and six assistants, explained that in
addition to Malaria, for which 215 cases have been registered until March of this
year, “ Dengue, Tuberculosis (TB), Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) and Acute
Diarrheal Disease (EDA), are frequent, due to the contaminated water consumed by
the entire population and the lack of health brigades”.

One of the possible solutions may be the implementation of filters that make
rainwater drinkable It consists of passing the water strongly through a very fine
semi-permeable membrane. It has the ability to retain any inorganic impurities,
particles and pollutants such as calcium and magnesium ions that are found in the
water.

The water treatment plant will use water, salt and electrical energy to produce
water fully suitable for human consumption, which will avoid the manipulation of
pollutants such as chlorine gas, which can be toxic, causes irritation in the skin,
eyes and nose and in large quantities, blisters on the skin. The treatment center
will provide what is required to provide the important liquid to 4,000 inhabitants.

References:

https://m.elcolombiano.com/colombia/el-proyecto-que-sigue-sin-darle-agua-al-choco-
GD10647562