‘Pico y pala’ in 29% of water and sanitation works

Among 185 projects in the reactivation plan, five were completed and there are 49 in execution.

Within the framework of ‘Commitment to Colombia’, the reactivation plan announced by the National Government on July 20, 2020, in order to get the economy going, there is a chapter focused on water and basic sanitation.

(Read: They deliver roads in Caquetá for more than $ 32,000 million )

This consists of 185 projects, in which $ 2.6 billion will be invested for works focused on the provision of drinking water, basic sanitation and cleaning, which will take place in around 150 municipalities in 28 departments, and it is estimated that approximately 17,000 new jobs will be generated, benefiting 6.6 million people.

(Read: Construction: after collapse in 2020, there would be improvement this year )about:blank

Although the initiative was officially launched on August 27, 2020, in these seven months there has been a ‘pick and shovel’ in 29% of these projects, because according to the Vice Ministry of Water and Basic Sanitation with a cut to 28 As of February, there are 5 works completed, with an investment of $ 31,000 million and there are another 49 works in execution, with an investment of $ 634,000 million in total.

(Read: In 2022, 8 of the 10 mega-works will start for reactivation )

Among the works that have already been completed, there are two in Chocó, the construction of intra-residential connections in the municipality of Tadó, in which $ 4,353 million were invested, and the construction of the aqueduct of the town of San Miguel in the Municipality of San Juan, to which $ 4,116 million were allocated.

The construction of the sewerage networks and the expansion of the service coverage in the municipality of Cereté (Córdoba), where $ 6,000 million were invested, and the project of the first phase of the neighborhood’s sanitary sewer network are also ready. Villa Colombia in Neiva (Huila), for which resources of $ 2,000 million were allocated.

In addition, the construction of the infrastructure required for the conditioning of solid waste for its use and the optimization of the San Andrés landfill was completed, in which the Government invested $ 15,000 million, and 104 jobs were generated.

“Currently in Colombia 427 infrastructure projects in drinking water and basic sanitation are being carried out, of which 185 are part of the Commitment for Colombia, Water Chapter,” said José Luis Acero, vice minister of Water and Basic Sanitation.

Acero adds that “this strategy was created as a reinforcement of the task of bringing solutions to families and, at the same time, contributing to the reactivation and dynamization of local economies through the construction of public works that contribute to the job”.

On the other hand, among the projects that are in execution at this time is the Francisco de Paula Santander metropolitan aqueduct, which will benefit Cúcuta and the municipalities of Villa del Rosario and Los Patios; whose investment amounts to $ 361,211 million.

Another project with a significant investment ($ 54,562 million) that is currently underway is that of the second phase of the regional aqueduct system in the municipality of Valle del Guamuez, in Putumayo.

Work is also progressing on the alternative collection system of María la Alta, in Villavicencio, in which $ 15,990 million has been invested; and the rehabilitation and extraction of sediments from the Agua Dulce and Bowden reservoirs, in Providencia, for which $ 15,031 million were injected.

In addition, the deputy minister stressed that 235 water and sanitation works have been completed so far this government, with which they seek to advance with the provision of aqueduct, sewerage and cleaning services throughout the country, and that they have benefited about 9 million people.

EARRINGS

Regarding pending projects, according to the vice ministry, there are 67 that already have an agreement, with an investment of $ 1.05 billion, but they have not yet started their works; another 40, whose investment amounts to $ 374,000 million, are in the process of being hired; and the remaining 24 are under evaluation by the Ministry of Housing, City and Territory within the framework of the technical assistance that the entity provides to municipalities and departments.

The latter has a projected investment of $ 468 million. Thus, there are already 161 projects that have resources assigned from sources such as the General Budget of the Nation, contributions from territorial entities, OCAD Paz funds, among others, while the 24 projects in which the evaluation is carried out will be financed if they manage to have the technical endorsement.

“This will be a categorical impulse to generate demand and ignite various sectors of the economy. For example, concrete plants, the steel industry, cargo transportation, suppliers of local food markets, and in general, all items related to water infrastructure works, ”said Acero.

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