Integral diagnosis on the use of sustainable water treatment technologies

Abstract

The water sector problems are framed by the low rate of adoption of technological innovation, in addition to the great environmental challenges. In Colombia, due to its topography, the provision of the aqueduct and sewerage service is difficult, causing the association of small rural communities to try to supply their need for drinking water for daily activities in a handcrafted way, this added to the increase of the limitations of the different natural resources, it becomes a challenge to guarantee the fundamental right to water and sanitation. This article, based on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals: "Health and well-being", "Clean water and sanitation", "Sustainable cities and communities, and "Responsible consumption and production" presents the results of a research carried out to validate sustainable technologies for safe water treatment systems in communities. Data were collected for a qualitative analysis through interviews applied to representative actors of the sector: water quality laboratories, aqueducts, and utility companies. The study provides information on the different needs identified for each segment, and provides information on the decisions companies make regarding investment in sustainable technologies, highlighting the existing gap in the water sector in innovation management, it presents a diagnosis on the uses of technologies on the water treatment market.