Barranquilla and Guayaquil receive support to optimize urban drainage

In 2013, CAF, Development Bank of Latin America, provided support to the municipality of Guayaquil for the evaluation of the effects of torrential rains  which occurred in past years, flooding in urban areas, and the clogging of the Daule, Babahoyo, and Guayas Rivers. 

As a result of this evaluation, a report was presented proposing comprehensive solutions for the design of urban drainage, which combined housing, transportation, potable water, sewage, drainage, solid residues, and environmental programs. 

CAF also committed to carry out a hydro-dynamic study of the confluence of the rivers that will help measure the impacts on urban flooding and their eventual solutions. 

Victor Arroyo, Principal Executive of the Vice Presidency of Social Development, stated that, "Guayaquil offers a great opportunity to manage urban flooding  and, in general, the services associated to water under the concepts of green, inclusive, and sustainable cities. To achieve this, it is necessary to maintain a continuous improvement attitude and insist in strengthening the specialized institutions that are responsible for the formulation of public policy, regulation of urban drainage services, and the operation of the infrastructure." 

This year, the Mayor's Office of Barranquilla will receive technical assistance for the preparation of an urban drainage study in the western basin of the city, in order to propose a comprehensive management vision of the use of the soil and of urban rain waters. 

Arroyo added that, "Barranquilla needs an effective alert system to mitigate the effects of flooding on people and on the economic life of the city. It is necessary to improve the strategic and comprehensive vision of the urban drainage system, the incentives for control at the source of the problem, and the optimization of the macro and micro drainage infrastructure." 

To achieve a sustainable management of urban drainage, the following strategic guidelines are required:

• Review the technical elements to develop an urban drainage guiding plan, based on the successful experiences of other Latin American cities;
• Present the elements that make up a modern institutional framework
• Propose options to develop an economic/financial system that allows evaluating and prioritizing investments as well as ensure a predictable and sustainable flow of resources for the operation and maintenance of drainage infrastructure. 

With a modern and eco-efficient perception, CAF proposes effective solutions to solve the problems associated to the management of urban waters and, therefore, the origins of flooding.