Americas ok.indd - World Water Council

ANNEX 4successful local actions in the region1104th World Water ForumWATER FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENTLocal actions details:IDLA1577First name Ernesto Last name GuhlOrganizationQuinaxiCountryColombiaGenderMaleEmaileguhl@quinaxi.orgScope of the action: BasinRegion:AmericasName of Local Action: Recovery of deteriorated water ecosystemsFramework theme: Water for Growth and DevelopmentCrosscutting perspectives: Capacity-building and Social Learning; Applicationof Science, Technology and Knowledge; Targeting, Monitoring andImplementation Knowledge.Type of organization(s)Empresa de Energia de Bogota EEB: Enterprises and facilities that are eitherprivate managed as public-private partnershipsQuinaxi: Civil society organizationsDescription and location of the problem and activity as implementedClose to 10 million people live in the Bogota river basin, including thepopulation of the city of Bogota, and around a third of the industrial activitiesof the country take place here. The multiple purpose reservoirs in this basinshow increasing contamination due to the manner and intensity of thedifferent activities that are performed in it, which has lead to situations ofeutrophication of these bodies of water, with grave environmental and socialconsequences. Quinaxi prepared plans for the EEB so as to be able to recoverthese bodies of water and mitigate the environmental impact that they arehaving on the nearby towns.Impact of implemented activity (social, economical, environmental, etc.)The plan of action proposed for the Muña reservoir has been 3 years in themaking. The results this plan seeks are the improvement in the quality of lifefor the people who live near the reservoir and the reduction of the presenceof mosquitoes and bad odors that are generated in its area of influence. Theresults of the proposed actions have been monitored periodically with positiveresults. They also seek to take advantage of the conditions of the reservoirfor improving the quality of the Bogota river in its lower basin and its mouthin the Magdalena river. On the other hand, the plan for the Tomine reservoirincludes different activities along the reservoir basin and its effects will benefitthe high basin of the Bogota river. Direct actions have been proposed for thebody of water that the EEB is to develop, as well as indirect measures thatother actors in the basin are to take in the next 2 years. The plan’s proposedactions have been disclosed to the community and the ones that are currentlyin operation have caused jobs to be generated in the region.Means of stakeholder involvement and role they play(ed)The Muña reservoir plan of action has a surveillance committee. The actionplan’s activities have been socialized towards the heart of its zone of influencethrough a group of women in the region, who facilitate communicationsbetween the EEB and the community. Quinaxi proposed a series of referenceand prospecting scenarios that were worked on in an inter-institutionalworkshop in which participated officials from the management levels of theEEB, with an end to obtaining the future vision of the reservoir and the mostprobable scenarios, that served as a base for the shaping of the directing plan’sprogram and projects.Long-term commitment and targetsThe Muña reservoir plan of action is a set of jobs and activities of differenttypes, planned to be performed during ??the direct actions of the directing plan of the Tomine reservoir are planned tobe performed during the next two years.Originality and Innovative IdeasThe formulation of these plans is based on a participatory planningmethodology, that is being developed as a job performed by EEB officials inconjunction with experts on the situation and the territory, as a result of theproposals prepared by Quinaxi for the application of the instruments andtools necessary for reaching the proposed objectives. Based on the results ofthe application, the Institute has been perfecting a prospective environmentalterritorial planning methodology that is considered very innovative andintegrating, thanks to the participatory and preventive character of theplanning processes.Costs involvedThe development cost of the methodology and preparation of the planshas been an estimated US$200.000. The budget for the development of theMuña work and actions is estimated at US$4.000.000. These resources will beappropriated by the EEB, EMGESA, and the Bogota Aqueduct. The cost of theactions performed to date is estimated at US$800.000.The budget for the direct activities of the directing plan for the Tominereservoir is estimated at US$2.000.000. The actions developed to date havecost US$500.000.Lessons learned that you would propose to present at the4th World Water ForumThe achievements of the work that has been done lie in the use ofparticipatory work methodologies and information management, that are theresult of the collaborative efforts of its team of specialists from Quinaxi, theEEB, the permanent participation of representatives of the municipalities, theenvironmental and municipal authorities, representatives of the civil societyand other watershed actors, who interact as experts and specialists in theterritory. This results in consensus and the appropriation on the part of themembers of the work group of the planning instruments, methodologies andresults of the process.Types of stakeholders involvedPublic services companies:Empresa de Energía de Bogota; Acueducto de Bogota; EMGESAEnvironmental authorities:Corporación Autónoma Regional de Cundinamarca, CARMinistry of the EnvironmentLocal authorities: Municipalities of Sibate, Guatavita, Guasca and Sesquile;Government of CundinamarcaNongovernmental organizations: Quinaxi; Ecofondo; Amigos de TomineResearch centers: Universidad de los Andes