EPM Issues Drought Alert in Antioquia, Urging Urgent Water Savings

Empresas Públicas de Medellín (EPM) has issued an urgent warning about water scarcity in the Aburrá Valley, urging residents, businesses, and industries to immediately adopt efficient water usage practices. The alert comes after recent low rainfall failed to sufficiently replenish the water levels in eight of the sixteen minor sources that supply the region's aqueduct system.

Climate analyses project rainfall for the August-October period to be up to 30% below historical averages across much of Antioquia. This deficit poses a significant risk to the available water resources for purification, especially for the 4% of EPM customers in the Aburrá Valley who rely entirely on 33 non-interconnected streams. For example, the Doña María stream, which supplies San Antonio de Prado, saw its flow drop by approximately 23% between May and July. Similar situations have required EPM to maintain continuous 24-hour pumping from La Bocaná for the Santa Elena stream.

To mitigate the effects of the shortage, EPM has intensified monitoring and operational adjustments in key systems like Aguas Frías, Barbosa, Caldas, San Cristóbal, and La Cascada. The company is rerouting water from interconnected zones to critical sectors. However, EPM cautioned that if rainfall does not normalize and water levels continue to decline, temporary interruptions in water service could occur in various parts of the metropolitan area. Concurrently, EPM's Technical Monitoring Center is continuously overseeing the Cauca River for the operation of the Hidroituango Hydroelectric Project, ensuring stable operations and adherence to environmental regulations for minimum flow rates during dry periods.