Medellín and EPM reinstate targeted nighttime water rationing after savings fall short

Medellín is bringing back targeted nighttime water rationing after residents and municipalities failed to save enough water to keep the measures suspended.

The city and municipalities in the Aburrá Valley missed the targets set by Empresas Públicas de Medellín and the Medellín mayor’s office. The shortfall comes as the region faces an imminent water crisis linked to the arrival of the El Niño phenomenon.

The targets had been set on September 2, when sector-based nighttime interruptions were suspended for the rest of the month. Homes supplied by the Piedras Blancas reservoir in the northeast and east-central areas were expected to save 90 liters per day. Homes supplied by Riogrande and La Fe, covering western, northwestern, central and southern areas, were expected to save 70 liters.

Over the five days measured by EPM and the mayor’s office, average savings remained well below those levels. Piedras Blancas faces the most serious situation. Savings there exceeded 40 liters on Sunday, but Mayor Federico Gutiérrez said that was not enough.

According to Gutiérrez, the reservoir has a daily deficit of 10 million liters. Projections indicate that its water could run out in less than 15 days if demand does not fall and rain does not arrive. “If we continue at this pace with regard to projected and achieved savings, the city and the Aburrá Valley would face an unprecedented crisis in the coming weeks,” he said.

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If we continue at this pace with regard to projected and achieved savings, the city and the Aburrá Valley would face an unprecedented crisis in the coming weeks.