La Guajira water connection enables supply for 45,000 residents

The Rural Development Agency (ADR) has enabled a new water connection in La Guajira, Colombia, to transport water from the El Cercado reservoir to the Corral de Piedra treatment plant. This infrastructure provides a permanent supply alternative for more than 45,000 inhabitants in the urban area of San Juan del Cesar and the districts of La Junta, La Peña, and Curazao.

The connection aims to reduce dependency on the Cesar River, which often experiences decreased flow during dry seasons. The conduction line currently transports 144 liters of water per second. To facilitate this, the ADR invested over 570 million pesos in specialized maintenance of the San Juan conduction line, including repairs to valves, gates, and air valves.

The Ranchería River project is designed as a multipurpose initiative intended for human consumption, irrigation of 18,536 hectares in the San Juan del Cesar and Ranchería districts, and hydroelectric power generation. While human consumption is a priority, proponents emphasize that the project's technical and economic sustainability relies on the integration of all three functions, noting that legal rulings protect the rights of Wayuu children to water for both agricultural and domestic use.