Nariño health authorities issue sanitary alert over water quality

The Departmental Institute of Health of Nariño (IDSN) has issued a sanitary alert due to deteriorating water quality for human consumption in several urban sectors of the Nariño department, specifically highlighting ongoing issues in Ipiales.

Inspections revealed elevated turbidity levels and a lack of residual chlorine in parts of the distribution network. In Ipiales, restrictions remain in place for the water supply system and the Versalles Well. Authorities are currently evaluating infrastructure optimizations and the possibility of a new intake to stabilize the supply.

The IDSN has granted municipalities and water service providers 15 business days to present improvement plans to correct identified irregularities. As a preventive measure, health officials recommend that residents avoid direct consumption of water that shows unusual color, odor, or turbidity. Instead, they advise filtering water with clean cloth, boiling it for at least five minutes, or using alternative sources such as bottled water or contingency water trucks.