Colombia's urban boom strains water quality, driving firms like Grupo Tecman to upgrade infrastructure

Between 1950 and 2018 Colombia’s urban share rose from 38.3 % to 79.1 %, with the urban footprint expanding 2.5 % per year from 1990‑2015—slightly faster than population growth. Major cities such as Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla and Cartagena now generate over 70 % of national GDP, but rapid, unplanned expansion has weakened water management. About 25 % of built‑up area consists of informal settlements housing roughly five million people, many of whom lack reliable potable water and sanitation. Approximately 60 % of urban water comes from surface sources that are increasingly polluted by domestic, agricultural and mining effluents, and only 56 % of municipalities meet basic water‑supply standards, affecting more than 22 million residents.

In this context, water‑service companies are emphasizing maintenance as a critical safeguard. Grupo Tecman, a specialist in water‑infrastructure upkeep, provides preventive and predictive maintenance for treatment plants, distribution networks and wastewater facilities. Its director, Ismael Gómez, notes that real‑time monitoring, sensor‑based diagnostics and a skilled in‑house workforce enable faster fault detection, cost reduction and protection of ecosystems. The firm collaborates with advanced operators such as the Bilbao Bizkaia water consortium, applying data‑driven tools to improve energy efficiency and environmental compliance. These efforts aim to stabilize service continuity and mitigate the health and ecological risks posed by Colombia’s accelerated urbanization.