November 28, 2024 – Following a sustained period of heavy rainfall in early November widespread flooding and landslides were triggered in Columbia. One of the most affected departments in the country was La Guajira, where the damaged and closed roads led to food and drinking water shortages. The local government declared a state of public calamity, requesting to accelerate the delivery of humanitarian aid to affected communities.
Planet Water Foundation activated our relief efforts through the support of our Disaster Response Alliance partners. Upon coordinating with the local authorities and identifying the communities with the most urgent demand for drinking water supply, our team headed to the impacted area. After extensive testing of the municipal water supply and wells, two AquaTower systems were installed in schools in the communities of Uribia and Barrancas in La Guajira, where they will help in the long term recovery of the communities and provide a reliable source of safe drinking water.
“Whenever it rains, streets turn into rivers and there is mud everywhere. The students are more prone to diseases whenever this happens because the flood contaminates our water sources. This filter would aid in solving our problems because it provides us with the much-needed clean water, especially when there is weather disturbance.”
Adalcira Estrada,
Resident of Uribia Village