Colombia

Active programmes 2024:

COL-018-B: All for the Pacific Programme
COL-022-B Integral Pacific Multi-District Project for Rural Areas in the population centres of La Guayacana, Llorente, Espriella and Tangareal in the Municipality of Tumaco, Department of Nariño
COL-035-B Water and sanitation programme for the rural sector

Other associated programmes:

COL-038-ALC: Preparation of the new rate framework for residential public utilities of aqueduct and sewerage for small and rural providers
Water-Connection Programme.
Other supplementary sectoral articulation actions

Colombia

Colombia _agua y saneamiento-nelson mandela_2 - ML

The year 2024 has seen the completion of the two bilateral programmes that the Fund was implementing in the country, which are now moving into a justification phase, along with the All for the Pacific Programme, which ended in 2022.

COL-018-B: All for the Pacific Programme.

During 2024, the technical and operational justification of the COL-018-B All for the Pacific programme continued, an intervention aimed at guaranteeing the human rights to drinking water and basic sanitation in historically excluded areas with high rates of multidimensional poverty, such as various municipalities on the Pacific coast of Colombia.

The programme, whose main objective was the institutional strengthening and implementation of aqueduct and sewerage infrastructure in 14 municipalities in the departments of Chocó, Cauca, Nariño and Antioquia, was effectively implemented in 11 of them. This intervention contributed to closing gaps in access to essential services, aligning with SDG 6 and with the priorities established in the National Development Plan, particularly in relation to environmental and territorial justice.

One of the milestones of 2024 has been the final evaluation of the programme, carried out through field visits, interviews with local stakeholders and the analysis of the results achieved by the household water and sewerage utilities. This evaluation has made it possible to analyse the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of the projects implemented, as well as to identify lessons learned, good practices and areas of improvement that will provide input for the FCAS knowledge management dynamics.

The beneficiary of the grant, the Ministry of Housing, City and Territory, is preparing the supporting evidence and thus the reimbursement of the funds of the three projects whose implementation was not completed, which will be re-allocated, in a significant part, to new sectoral initiatives in Colombia, in accordance with the strategic priorities of the Colombia Country Partnership Framework (CPF) in force, the national priorities and the new cooperation opportunities coordinated by the country with the FCAS.

COL-022-B: Comprehensive Pacific Multi-District Programme for Rural Areas

The COL-022-B programme, aimed at improving access to drinking water and basic sanitation in the towns of La Guayacana, Llorente, Espriella and Tangareal, in the municipality of Tumaco (Nariño), was completed in November 2024 and all the technical studies required for the aqueduct and sewerage systems were completed and delivered. Although the execution of works was not achieved, these studies are available for eventual implementation by the territorial authorities.

The department of Nariño and the municipality of Tumaco are priority areas for Spanish cooperation, given their high social, economic and environmental vulnerability. In this context, the programme represented an opportunity for coordination with local and regional actors and contributed to the strengthening of institutional and territorial planning capacities.

During the year 2024, the justification process has begun, including the processes for the reimbursement of unused funds, which will be re-allocated, in a significant part, towards new sectoral initiatives in Colombia, in line with the objectives of the FCAS, the needs of the Colombian population and the Country Partnership Framework (CPF) between Colombia and Spanish Cooperation.

COL-035-B: Water supply and sanitation programme for the rural sector.

The COL-035-B programme, developed to improve access to drinking water and basic sanitation services in rural areas of the municipalities of Fonseca and San Onofre, was completed in May 2024, having concluded the studies and designs of the projects. Their implementation was not possible due to a number of difficulties, but they remain available for construction by the municipalities.

The process has made it possible to carry out diagnoses and establish bonds with local stakeholders, contributing to the preparation of future actions in the prioritised territories. During the second half of the year, the administrative closure phase was initiated, including the processes for the reimbursement of the balance of unused funds.

Spanish Cooperation has expressed its commitment to continue supporting new initiatives in the country, aligned with the National Development Plan and the territorial approaches prioritised by the Colombia – Spain CPF, thus reinforcing the FCAS strategy of working on the human rights to water and sanitation, in a sustainable and equitable manner, especially in rural areas with high structural vulnerability.

Other Associated Programmes – Delegated Cooperation

In addition to the programmes financed directly by the Cooperation Fund for Water and Sanitation, two other actions managed by the FCAS are currently being developed in Colombia, with special emphasis on the development of sectoral public policies and institutional strengthening, both of service providers and governmental institutions.

COL-038-ALC: Preparation of the new rate framework for residential public utilities of aqueduct and sewerage for small and rural providers.
The COL-038-ALC Programme, approved by the FCAS in 2023, is a strategic intervention aimed at contributing to closing structural gaps in the provision of drinking water and basic sanitation utilities in rural areas of Colombia. In coordination with the Ministry of Housing, City and Territory (MVCT) and the Drinking Water and Basic Sanitation Regulation Commission (CRA), the programme seeks to improve the sustainability, efficiency and inclusion of providers operating in municipalities with a population of less than 30,000 inhabitants, traditionally excluded from the scope of conventional regulation.

During 2024, progress has been made in the development of technical studies for the preparation of the new rate framework for small providers, adapting the rate principles to the operational and financial context of rural areas, incorporating criteria of progressivity, simplicity, transparency and territorial approach.

In 2025, the proposed rate regulation is expected to be submitted for public consultation, in compliance with the principles of engagement, transparency and a rights-based approach enshrined in the Colombian legal framework and promoted by Spanish Cooperation.

The programme is structured in three components: i) institutional strengthening of service providers; ii) technical-operational strengthening to improve service efficiency; and iii) social and community strengthening, focusing on water culture, participation and environmental education. In this way, COL-038-ALC not only provides technical support to providers, but also has a direct impact on the process of national regulatory reform, contributing evidence, learning and capacities for a more inclusive, flexible and rural-adapted regulation.
Water-Connection Programme
The WATER CONNECTION programme, a multi-stakeholder initiative for the systemic strengthening of the water and sanitation sector in Colombia, was approved at the end of 2024 with a total budget of $4.9 million, Swiss Cooperation (SECO), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and other funds from AquaFund itself.

The programme will be implemented nationally over a 36-month period starting in January 2025, with an emphasis on the areas prioritised in the Colombia CPF, particularly in historically lagging departments such as Chocó, Nariño, Cauca, Valle del Cauca and La Guajira. Its overall objective is to guarantee the human rights to water and sanitation through efficient, sustainable and inclusive provision, through the institutional, social and technical-operational strengthening of both urban and rural service providers. To this end, the programme is articulated in three main components: institutional strengthening, aimed at improving the management, governance and financial sustainability capacities of the providers; technical-operational strengthening, to streamline the processes of operation, maintenance and incorporation of appropriate technologies; social strengthening, focused on water culture, community engagement and environmental education.

In parallel, technical cooperation initiatives will be promoted, such as the institutionalisation of the Water Sector Action (ANDESCO) and the WOP-Colombia platform (ACODAL) for twinning between Water and Sanitation service providers, consolidating a collaborative ecosystem of learning between providers. It is also foreseen to expand the use of the AquaRating system, and to facilitate access to finance through strategic guides and non-financial solutions.
Other supplementary sectoral articulation actions
In August 2024, FCAS-AECID actively participated in the international meeting «Water is a Common Good», held at the Universidad del Magdalena in Santa Marta. This high-level space brought together government actors, community organisations, cooperation agencies, regulators and multilateral organisations such as the IDB and CAF, with the aim of promoting regional dialogue around the human right to water and the fulfilment of SDG 6. The exchanges underlined the importance of the WASH approach as a cross-cutting pillar of sustainable development, and highlighted the need for stronger institutional articulation and inclusive public policies. Topics addressed included the transition towards models of water management as a common good and responses to climate change. The event resulted in a shared roadmap towards a regional agenda for cooperation and transformative action.

In November 2024, the FCAS-AECID, in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), organised in Cartagena de Indias the participatory workshop «Strengthening the working approach for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in rural schools». This inter-institutional space brought together key actors such as the MVCT, the CRA, the SSPD (Superintendence of Industry and Commerce), providers and local governments, in order to validate and enhance the methodological proposal developed by SIWI to incorporate the ASH approach in rural school environments, under principles of equity, sustainability and rights. During the workshop, the participants worked in a participatory manner to identify challenges, good practices and recommendations to guide future interventions, addressing issues such as governance, delivery models, menstrual hygiene, infrastructure and water culture. As a practical case, the impact of the «El Bosque» plant expansion project (Programme COL-036-B) on schools in the Villa Hermosa neighbourhood of Cartagena was analysed, highlighting advances in social inclusion, community empowerment and improvement of children’s quality of life. This experience is part of a regional study that will strengthen future lines of work of the FCAS in the field of education.

More info about the Fund in Colombia