Atlántico aims to secure water supply for 1.6 million people: The Northern Regional Aqueduct is 94% complete.

News: $200 Billion Project to Complete Construction This Year, Addressing Water Pressure and Quality Issues in Seven Municipalities and Barranquilla. It is expected that all civil works will be completed by December 2026, and testing and commissioning of the system will begin. Photo: Governorate. JOURNALIST 05.11.2026 11:33 Updated: 05.11.2026 11:33 The Governorate of Atlántico confirmed that the Northern Regional Aqueduct, currently considered the most ambitious water engineering project in the country, has reached 94 percent completion. This project, which has required a record investment of 200 billion pesos, represents, according to authorities, a definitive solution to the lack of potable water that has affected the competitiveness and well-being of the northern region of the department, an area with significant urban and tourist development. This is the aqueduct. The heart of this system is located in the department's capital, specifically in Barranquilla, at the Gran Malecón del Río. At this strategic point in the city is the pumping station that will extract water directly from the Magdalena River, with a capacity of 1,100 liters per second. The project includes the installation of two storage tanks with a capacity of 700 cubic meters each. Photo: Governorate. The project stands out not only for its technical scope but also for its profound social impact, as it is designed to guarantee continuous and high-quality potable water to 1.6 million citizens, integrating the metropolitan system and the coastal area into a single, efficient network. During a supervisory tour of the pumping stations and pipelines, Governor Eduardo Verano emphasized the strategic importance of this progress for the region. Regarding this, the governor of Atlántico stated that "this is possibly the most important investment being made in the country in the area of potable water. With state-of-the-art technology, we are securing the service for eight territories and positioning Atlántico as a national leader in coverage," the governor said, highlighting that the joint effort with the Ministry of Housing has been key to securing the project's budget. Challenges of the new aqueduct. One of the biggest challenges that this aqueduct aims to address is the phenomenon of marine intrusion, which has traditionally affected Puerto Colombia and the municipalities along the coastal corridor during periods of low tide and extreme drought. The water intake point is located at the Gran Malecón del Río in Barranquilla. Photo: Governorate. The Secretary of Potable Water and Basic Sanitation, Lady Ospina, explained that the new infrastructure will ensure that the service is not dependent on fluctuations in sea level. "We will ensure that water reaches homes in Atlántico with quality and pressure, integrating the coastal and metropolitan systems into a single, efficient network," said Secretary Ospina. The official schedule states that the construction phase will be completed in the last quarter of this year, immediately followed by technical tests of pressure and water purification. It is expected that by December 2026, the system will be fully operational after the installation of 14 kilometers of large-diameter pipes and the commissioning of two storage tanks, each with a capacity of 700 cubic meters. With this progress, the municipalities of Puerto Colombia, Tubará, Usiacurí, Juan de Acosta, Piojó, Galapa, and Soledad, along with Barranquilla, will enter a new era of urban and tourist development supported by a world-class public services network. You may be interested in. Photo: Follow all the news from Colombia on Facebook and Twitter, or in our weekly newsletter. NEWSLETTERS EL TIEMPO. Register for our newsletters and receive news in your email according to your interests. Stay informed with what really matters to you. EL TIEMPO GOOGLE NEWS. Follow us on GOOGLE NEWS. Stay always updated with the latest news, coverage, stories, and analysis directly on Google News. EL TIEMPO WHATSAPP. Join the El Tiempo channel on WhatsApp to stay up-to-date with the most relevant news. EL TIEMPO APP. Stay informed with the EL TIEMPO app. Receive the latest news, coverage, stories, and analysis directly on your device. SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL. Reliable information for you. Subscribe to EL TIEMPO and access our journalistic content without limits.