Water shortage in Santa Marta restricts the use of swimming pools

The mayor of Santa Marta, Virna Johnson, had to declare public calamity as water in the city is scarce, which has led to several citizens having problems with water supply. The administration decided to carry out what it called 'Water Routes', where the Public Utilities Company of Santa Marta, Essmar, is taking tanks to the neighborhoods in order to clean up this problem.

The District Administrative Department of Environmental Sustainability, DADSA, issued Resolution 0134 of April 13, which adopts measures and actions to reduce the risk of lack of water. This measure contemplates restricting some daily activities, both for households and for commerce in general, which are considered to have a high impact and/or that affect the shortage of the precious liquid.

Some of the restrictions are: washing vehicles, facades of houses, shops or public spaces; excessive watering of gardens and green areas; swimming pools and slides may not be used; carrying out activities that involve excessive water use. According to the decree, the measure will be valid for 6 months, unless the prohibitions are lifted.

The concern, in addition to the shortage, is for tourism. According to the Mayor's Office of Santa Marta, some 170,000 visitors are expected during Holy Week, despite the fact that some parts of the city have been without water for more than 20 days.

According to the Colombian Hotel and Tourism Association, COTELCO, in the capital of Magdalena, visitors will be able to use the swimming pools, since they are confined waters that are treated under the protocols required by national authorities.

This statement is contrary to what was stated in the decree outlined above, which is why Sara Candanoza, director of DADSA, announced that the administration recommended to the hotel union and the general public that they can use the swimming pools, but refill or water refills should be avoided.

Mayor Johnson called on ESSMAR to increase efforts to transport water to communities and residents to make adequate and rational use of water resources. A traffic light was also established for the use of water: the idea is to establish a peak and plaque to car washes. This measure will be socialized over the course of the days, in order to reach agreements with the owners of these establishments, on the hours in which they will be able to operate.

Another problem with the water supply in Santa Marta is the finding that was expressed at the forum “Real Actions for Real Problems”, where Magdalena's judicial, environmental and agrarian prosecutor Jorge Escobar said he encountered a bacterium called 'escherichia coli', which is a pathogen of the fecal stool,

Although the government and the mayor's office said they are working to improve water services, the superintendent of public services, Natasha Avendaño, said that this is an obligation, outlined in the political constitution. “The excuse has always been money, but in 2015 the district had 167,321 billion pesos of own resources, meaning that there was money to solve the water problem. For 2017, a roadmap was drawn up to review whether the study's recommendation had been met, but the district administration of the time ignored it,” he said.

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