Water Purification Plant to Supply Drinking Water to Over 5,000 Indigenous People

In La Guajira (Colombia), one of the driest regions and most affected by water scarcity, access to potable water has long been a pending issue. As part of an ambitious program by the Colombian Government to bring safe water to Wayuu indigenous communities, an advanced purification solution was implemented in rural areas of the Uribia municipality.

To achieve this, the government relied on the technical expertise of Novagric, which was responsible for the design, manufacture, and commissioning of a modular water purification plant based on reverse osmosis technology and solar energy, specifically adapted to remote environments with high-salinity groundwater.

Thanks to this collaboration, more than 5,800 people — including 1,300 students — from communities such as Yotojoroin, Pipamana, and La Paz now have access to quality drinking water, distributed from six community supply points.

An Autonomous, Mobile, and Efficient Solution

The plant, built inside a fully equipped shipping container, allows for quick plug-and-play installation. It operates without the need for an electrical grid thanks to an autonomous photovoltaic system and is designed to run with minimal maintenance and real-time remote monitoring, ensuring long-term efficiency and sustainability.

“We used to have to drink salty water. Now we have clean water for our children. Thank you for thinking of us.”
– Resident of Yotojoroin (La Guajira)

Challenge and Technological Solution

La Guajira is a predominantly desert region where surface and groundwater sources present high salinity levels, making them unsuitable for direct consumption. The lack of conventional power supply adds complexity to any purification solution.

Novagric’s system combines:

• A treatment module based on reverse osmosis to remove dissolved salts and contaminants
• Power generation through photovoltaic panels for autonomous operation
• Automation and remote monitoring to optimize production, quality, and maintenance
• Plug-and-play container design to facilitate transport and installation

Social Impact and Sustainability

The plant supplies up to 100,000 liters of drinking water daily, ensuring a minimum of 30 liters per person per day for consumption and domestic use in Wayuu communities. The solution features a low-maintenance design and continuous technical support to ensure long-term operability.

🗞️ The Project in the Media

• The Drinking Water Treatment Plant (PTAP) arrives in La Guajira to supply over 5,000 Wayuu indigenous people
• Good news for La Guajira: a new potable water treatment plant arrives to meet the needs of over 5,000 Wayuu indigenous people
• New purification plant in La Guajira to supply over 5,000 Wayuu indigenous people
• Water purification plant reaches indigenous communities in Alta Guajira