The awarded Colombian Green Filter – a plant-based sewage treatment technology – is operating for two years with excellent results. This pilot project would not have been possible without the collaboration between Fundación Humedales Colombia, Global Nature Fund (GNF) based in Germany, the local community, the public utility company CAR and the support of the German and Swiss companies Kärcher and Sika. The constructed wetland treatment plant helps to mitigate the negative effects of sewage released into Lake Fúquene, which was one of the major threats jeopardizing the water body. San Miguel de Sema was selected due to the strong interest of the local community who actively supported the implementation of the Green Filter. Fernando Marín, General Manager of Kärcher Colombia, explained that the population growth and the agricultural activity in San Miguel during the previous years have generated large discharges into the lake without proper wastewater treatment.
José Roberto Salinas, San Miguel´s mayor, stated that the project represents a creative, innovative, and reliable solution to treat domestic wastewater. The water analysis gives clear evidence to the environmental advantages of this alternative system. The Green Filter purifies between 0.8 and 1.4 litres per second removing 86 % of the polluting components hereby significantly contributing to the protection of Lake Fúquene. The proven success of this pilot waste water treatment encouraged GNF and Fundación Humedales to replicate the concept in three further municipalities in Colombia. This project is a perfect example of how, with little resources, reliable solutions can be implemented, generating an enormous positive impact in water and life quality.
Contact:Udo Gattenlöhner
Global Nature Fund - Office Radolfzell
Phone: +49 - (0) 77 32 - 99 95 80, E-mail:
gattenloehner@globalnature.org
For more information:
www.globalnature.org/greenfilter-sanmiguel