water supply colombia article updated substance august sections article older need updated feel free update article needed water supply colombia improved ways past decades access improved increased access improved water source increased slightly particular coverage rural areas furthermore despite improvements quality water services remains inadequate example receiving public services receive water quality generated country underwent kind treatment overview comprehensive sector policy introduced aimed increasing water investments targeted transfers municipalities improving service quality efficiency promoting private sector participation parts country utilities performing establishment autonomous regulatory agencies national level increased cost recovery protecting cross subsidies form area based policy pursued refined different consecutive governments responsibilities sector divided follows vice created october charge setting sector policy regulation responsibility separate institutions national level water basic regulation commission multi sector regulatory agency service provision responsibility water service providers urban areas probably communal organizations providing services rural urban areas urban service providers public private mixed public private water companies country cost recovery sector improved substantially average water colombia increased equivalent increase result investments self financed utilities features sector existence large performing public companies strong stable participation local private sector service provision performing community based organizations urban areas recently government initiated number policies accelerate increases access water services strengthening roles departments governance sector program marginal urban neighborhoods increase investments treatment access population access improved source water access adequate rural population accounts national total lowest coverage rates having access safe water adequate coverage lowest service quality addition issues service coverage colombia water sector faces issues service quality service quality improved considerably years biggest cities tend offer better service quality smaller towns rural areas continuity supply average duration daily water service increased hours hours national level biggest cities country service continuous water interrupted ordinary incidents small towns rural areas drinking water quality according survey users water quality cases water supply system pressure adequate increasing risk contamination sewage collection systems sufficient hydraulic capacity handle flows especially poor neighborhoods results combined sewer sewer treatment generated country underwent kind treatment remaining discharged treatment significant natural water resources history water sector colombia underwent cycle past decades enactment comprehensive new sector policy governments pursued set basic policies including targeted transfers municipalities private sector participation regulation cost recovery system cross subsidies 1950s late 1980s half 20th century municipalities responsible provision basic water services colombia similar countries centralized system adopted created created consisting departments municipalities took care managing maintaining infrastructure member communities way investment national level important area public health framework change sector policies transformed works companies regional municipal level charge financing planning developing managing public services municipalities municipalities kept responsibility service provision local level created municipal companies notable case owned multi sector utility created national level water sector depended late 1980s 1980s sector crisis characterized low investment poor cost recovery poor service quality country result government decided break end 1980s responsibility service provision municipalities decades cases like department regional companies continued providing services furthermore institutional responsibility sector transferred change administrative change introduced different focus perspective sector new financing system public private partnerships liberal governments pursued policy economic opening business modernization spirit policies government established comprehensive new sector policy aimed increasing water investments targeted transfers municipalities improving service quality efficiency promoting private sector participation parts country public utilities performing establishment autonomous regulatory agencies national level increased cost recovery protecting cross subsidies form area based basis sector policy established law july end president term office modifications law policy continues pursued today despite changes governments water concession colombia given mixed public private company city followed second concession concessions years government launched program business modernization introduce private sector participation small medium sized municipalities leading significant improvements quality efficiency service provision municipalities drinking water use decreased increases inclusion low income users access water influenced trend creation vice ministry water plans government wants rapidly increase coverage overtaking sector improve service quality especially small towns rural areas highest requirement service improvement end vice ministry water created initiated new programs plans spa settlements framework integral quarter improvement program municipal waste water program increase rate treated municipal water campaign program provides services planning resources regional systems service provision level department country program implemented departments difficult conditions program aimed overcome sector small utilities benefit economies scale plans completed published covering country departments responsibility water supply vice ministry transferred newly created august vice ministry website reference program spa place addition new programs started water culture del program lack interest concerning water utilities promotes water reuse protection fights water losses illegal connections non payment water bills transparent water program ensure greater visibility wider water projects especially early stage implementation responsibility water supply current responsibilities policies water sector colombia primarily defined constitution law policy regulation vice created october charge setting sector policy sector policy defined framework national policy established responsibility regulating water services separate institutions national level water basic regulatory commission defines criteria efficient service provision sets rules revision charge controlling application rules responsibility multi sector regulatory agency government aims improving performance water sector strengthening regulatory framework implementing technical assistance programs providing financial support promote modernization efficient management poor institutional framework national level improve coordination sector government supports private sector participation sector service provision municipalities responsible ensuring inhabitants given domestic services water supply efficient way public companies public utilities directly responsible service provision special cases defined law municipalities offer services directly rural areas marginal urban areas communal water boards offer water supply services years number companies increased direct service provision municipalities decreased process changing suppliers ownership structure municipal utilities transformed public stock corporations allow private sector participation change legal status suppliers public companies remainder direct municipal suppliers private companies official companies companies specialized water mixed companies authorized organizations smaller utilities included water service providers urban areas probably communal organizations providing services rural areas sector characterized high degree makes difficult realize economies scale according study solve problem creation regional companies suggested urban areas cities including largest ones served public utilities private sector plays important role including private mixed public private water companies urban service providers public utilities colombia larger cities home performing public utilities providing multiple services specialized water owned multi sector utility charge water supply solid waste management electricity generation distribution local telecommunications surrounding areas multi sector utility provides fixed line local internet water sewage electricity services clients suffered financially payment obligations resulting power purchase agreement signed capital colombia served water utility private sector participation private sector participation colombia water sector stable latin american countries private mixed public private water companies colombia including large medium small companies private sector involvement water sector began support important examples operators large extent overall performance utilities private sector participation improved cases impressive successes expanding coverage urban poor according report key success private sector participation water sector development solutions times adapting models particular circumstances culture colombia private participation infrastructure database shows private investment commitments water supply million transactions including classified concessions management lease contracts projects small towns urban areas smaller towns urban areas examples successful provision water supply services community organizations regional companies cases set example terms community empowerment transparency example regional association provides drinking water inhabitants municipalities del department founded non profit public limited company shareholders company del department regional del del municipalities served utility example del del water board southwestern outskirts manages residential connections offering continuous service users operates system treatment plant water consumption average monthly social special applied users consume annual cash surplus maintenance cases construction works way years water capture facility constructed river improved water tank capacity constructed example formed years ago integrating supply systems supplying residential connections association preparing water treatment plant preparing install meters aid organization rural associates rural areas coverage rural areas unusually low given level economic development sector development broad definition access based definition improved water source access rural areas colombia honduras considerably poorer country ecuador poorer country colombia addition armed conflict explanations situation municipalities tend use financial resources general participation system law mainly urban areas furthermore institution program national level offers technical assistance rural community organizations law assigns task departments carried task satisfactory way far rural confirms situation rural community organizations considered able carry maintenance commercially operate service issued bills government defined guidelines basic water supply policy rural areas increase coverage improve quality areas addition study published documented rural areas time needed drive water testing longer sample viable innovative approaches colombia pioneered innovative approaches basic service provision general water supply particular introduced national level initiated city region notable innovations national level introduction autonomous economic regulatory agencies develop fine tune regulatory tools water sector implement basic services introduction socio economic strata basis differentiated spatial municipal service providers small towns level benefit economies scale strong support national government notable innovation initiated city region creation mixed public private enterprises urban water supply begun followed northern central cities towns innovation association community based organizations providing water supply rural urban areas departments began late 1990s assistance order protect recover source strengthen capacity operate maintain water systems addition colombia boasts oldest largest multi utilities latin_america created efficiency average level non revenue water physical economic losses colombia estimated level higher latin american average approximately regulatory goal past national average non revenue water estimated largest cities country levels non revenue water national average financial aspects system defined applied public mixed private companies system aims achievement cost recovery protection poor basic calculated basis economic costs according defined national level law principle different municipalities differ local government decisions raise different costs services base service provider adjusted law different geographic areas city assumed correspond socio economic class according adjustment factors specified law system area based supposed provide cross subsidies affluent poorer users municipality defined geographic areas correspond socio economic classes class represents lowest income group class stands highest adjustment factors following citizens live areas corresponding classes live areas corresponding classes example population live zones classes live zones classified consequently system permanently causes require subsidies paid national government average water colombia increased equivalent increase average monthly bill residential customers water supply services free basic water inspired important cities colombia basic water vital available residents free charge cubic meters water month person cubic meters family available free urban residents class city wants reach households billion usd million finance free basic water associated awareness campaigns february introduced cubic meters free basic water household households classes covering million households households annual cost estimated billion usd million investment billion billion invested sector financed private sector private financing increased zero significant share total investment furthermore despite drop investment sector increased forecasts total investment billion billion water sector minister environment housing territorial development announced million billion spent order facilitate construction facilities areas access drinking water national government control destination resources guarantees transparency spending process according minister colombia reached drinking water coverage given past investments sector financing according ministry investments mainly financed sources self financing funding national government charges extraction petroleum carbon study estimates investment financed follows companies self financing state funding car sources according report average annual transfers national government municipalities water supply including solid waste funding allocated defined law certain percentage resources dedicated exclusively water supply mainly small municipalities low income levels municipalities use funding dedicated water supply purposes car receive property tax electric power utilities environmental charges water charges waste water external cooperation main external cooperation partners water sector supports sector dedicated water projects water components broader projects dedicated water projects services project environmental management project water infrastructure projects disaster vulnerability reduction phase rio carbon offset project river environmental services sustainable development investment project water supports sector usd million loan usd million loan approved information projects colombia colombia
Water supply and sanitation in Colombia