From its source to its outlet, the sewage inputs make that the Bogota river presents rising levels of biological contamination, chemical and physical, to the extent that receives sewage discharges, making it the largest open sewer of Colombia.
The governor of Cundinamarca, Alvaro Vargas Cruz, called for specific definitions to the district, from pollution of the Bogota river.
The official said that “measures of pollution of the Bogota river, in Colombia’s capital income is below 5 percent, ie, Bogota contaminates it by 95 percent.”
“That affects the middle and lower basins of the river, has completely changed the prospects for competitiveness and agricultural or tourist vocation of the municipalities that are part of the basin, and has forced us to make investments . For example, if it were not necessary, by pollution of the river construction of the aqueduct La Mesa-Anapoima, , with an investment of $ 50,000 million, we would have saved those resources, “said Cruz Vargas.
The governor said “I think the issue is complex and I want to clearly define what is going to do.” “This is an issue to review, clarify and, if necessary, we will take at the request of Congress. It is estimated that the Bogota River receives daily, the following amounts of chemical and physical pollutants: chromium 318 kg, 278 kg of lead, 140 tons of iron, 1.11 tons of detergent and 835 tons of suspended solids, among others.
Human communities near polluted streams blame waterborne diseases at rates much higher than those with remote communities in rivers. Indeed, researchers have shown that the average frequency of waterborne diseases are higher in nearby sectors (1.49%) than the distant ones (0.40%).
The most common diseases are bacterial infections and gastrointestinal (amebiasis, shigellosis, food poisoning, enteritis, diarrhea, other bacterial gastritis and duodenitis), which occur with frequencies up to 6.5 and 8% in neighborhoods near the hydric affluent.
Gustavo Carrasquel | ANCA24
