“On the weekend, if you are not going to go out, man, don't take a bath, hold on for a day. It's not serious and it helps us a lot. 90 percent of water consumption is consumed in homes and of that 90 percent, 60 percent has to do with bathing and showering.”.
In this way, the mayor of Bogotá, Carlos Fernando Galán, gave an account of the dimensions of the crisis in the capital due to the lack of water. According to him, he said, the call is to go from bathing in five minutes to doing it in three minutes. In fact, he said, he lives in Chapinero and the measure will also cover him. In addition, he pointed out, he will be one of those who does not bathe on the weekend in order to help.
Watch the full interview with the mayor of Bogotá, Carlos Fernando Galán, talking about water rationing in the capital.
The recommendations of the Mayor's Office of Bogotá:
1. Reduce shower times.
2. Keep the faucet closed while applying shampoo.
3. Do not wash your car or motorcycle with a hose.
4. Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth.
The Bogotá Aqueduct and Sewer Company -EAAB- determined, based on the monthly consumption of an average family of four people, that 58% of the water is spent on personal hygiene.
In activities like showering, brushing teeth or shaving, a family uses 6,910 liters of water per month. A second category of use that demands 23% consumption occurs in the kitchen. In preparing food, washing vegetables and cleaning utensilsBogota residents use 2,770 liters of water per month. In the toilet, users use 10% of the water. At least 1,200 liters of water per month are flushed through the toilets of a home.
7% of the water used in a home goes into washing clothes, something like 790 liters per month, and 2% goes into cleaning the home, about 220 liters of water.
According to the Bogotá Aqueduct and Sewer Company -EAAB- the goal is to achieve savings of up to two additional cubic meters per second and, thus, guarantee that the capital's water does not run out. According to the Acueducto, a family of four people spends up to 6,910 liters of water per month on activities such as showering, brushing their teeth or shaving.
For activities such as preparing food, washing vegetables and cleaning utensils, Bogota residents use up to 2,770 liters of vital liquid per month. However, these consumption levels are higher in 16 areas in six locations in the city.
The town with the most sectors in which water is wasted is Suba. According to measurements from the Aqueduct in Mazurén, Niza Sur, El Betán, Villa del Prado and San José de Bavaria, consumption is higher than the levels of other residential areas and even compared to measurements in these same areas last year.
In Usaquén, the sectors or neighborhoods with the most consumption are Cedritos, Country Club, and Santa Bárbara Occidental. While in the town of Barrios Unidos, the neighborhood with the most liters of water spent in homes is La Castellana.
The Carvajal neighborhood, the sector surrounding the General Santander School and the sector surrounding Parque el Tunal between the towns of Kennedy and Tunjuelito also have records of waste of vital liquid. Finally, in the town of Engativá, the sectors with the most water consumption per day are those surrounding the Botanical Garden, Las Ferias Occidental, Las Ferias and La Estrada.
