Colombia's water crisis deepens as El Niño drives reservoir levels to critical lows

Colombia is facing a deepening water crisis as the El Niño phenomenon drives reservoir levels to critical lows, prompting rationing in major cities and threatening dozens of municipalities. In Medellín, the three reservoirs that supply the Aburrá Valley — Piedras Blancas, La Fe, and Río Grande — are at between 60% and 65% capacity, a level that has alarmed authorities even before the peak of the drought. Source: El Colombiano EPM manager Santiago Wilches warned that this El Niño has a 93% probability of being very strong and a 75% chance of being the strongest in history, adding that "we are facing a climatic condition we have never experienced before." Source: El Colombiano

Rationing expands

EPM reactivated nighttime water cuts on September 21 in northeastern and central-eastern Medellín after savings targets were missed. Homes supplied by Piedras Blancas must save 92 liters daily, while those dependent on Riogrande and La Fe have a target of 70 liters. Source: El Tiempo Although Piedras Blancas reached an average of 94 liters saved per home on September 23, other sectors remain far from their goals — Riogrande recorded a maximum average of just 16 liters. Source: El Tiempo Wilches warned that if consumption does not improve, rationing could extend to other areas of the city. Source: El Colombiano

National scope

The crisis extends beyond Medellín. In Cali, Emcali implemented alternating water supply on September 22 in hillside areas due to critically low river flows — the Cali River at 1.52 cubic meters per second, near its minimum operating limit of 1.25, and the Meléndez River at just 0.18, far below the required 0.90. Source: El Tiempo In Santa Marta, ESSMAR temporarily closed the Manzanares River intake from Tuesday afternoon to Friday morning due to low flows. Source: El Tiempo The situation is even more severe in Bolívar, where 40 of 46 municipalities report shortages, 15 on red alert, and in Santander, 13 municipalities face scarcity. Source: El Tiempo