The Bogotá River

The Main Problem

The Bogotá River is not known for being the main channel of the Bogota savannah, or for not being navigable or mighty, but for the very high levels of contamination that this body possesses. The felling of trees, the illegal water catchments, the deposit of domestic and industrial waste that reaches the Bogotá River, the disposal of garbage, industrial waste with heavy metals, and the lack of interest in efficiently and responsibly managing the river's waters, make it a benchmark for dirt and pollution worldwide.

But ... What generates the contamination of the river?

The industrial discharges of the Villapinzón Cundinamarca tanneries located 5 kilometers from the source. The lack of treatment plants that efficiently manage their domestic waters and discharge their waters in poor condition to the river including Bogotá, generating 80% of the contamination. The remaining 20% ​​is produced by industries, extractive mining and rubble. The three discharges in Bogotá that affect the river, leaving it anoxic and lifeless are Salitre, Fucha and Tunjuelo, among other factors.

The solution? The visible solution appears to be decontamination of the river. However, a short-term solution according to the Al Verde Vivo Foundation is to start non-pollution campaigns. In which the discharge is known and its parameters are regulated, in terms of temperature, clarity and alkalinity.

It is also a priority to generate greater awareness among citizens so that they learn to recycle.