Bogota - Colombia Water production in Tibitoc

The Tibitoc water production plant, located in the suburbs of Bogota, supplies almost 30% of the Colombian capital's residents.

To be able to ensure continuous water supply, it was essential to rehabilitate the plant without disrupting production.

Rehabilitation of the plant and water mains

• Rehabilitation works on the entire treatment process (physical pretreatment, coagulation, flocculation, sand filtration, neutralization, disinfection).
• $22 million invested over three years. Twothirds of the works were carried out by Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies, the Veolia Water subsidiary.
• Temporary changes to the treatment process to improve water quality while waiting for the rehabilitation work to be completed. Changes were made to the preparation systems and quantities used of chemicals (lime milk, polymers, chlorine, coagulant).
• Rehabilitation of the Tibitoc-Bogota mains (2 meters in diameter, steel lined). Investment of $35 million.

Improved operating conditions

• Reports drawn up to monitor production and facilities.
• Operating guidelines brought up to date. The plant operates at half its maximum capacity of 10.5 cubic meters/second.
• Changes to plant laboratory's tasks: it is now in charge of setting treatment rates and checking compliance, and of taking preventive and corrective actions on plant regulations.
• Introduction of a quality assurance program.

• Rehabilitation over three years of the Tibitoc water production plant.
• Works carried out without disrupting water supply to Bogota.
• Improved water quality: compliance with all drinking water quality parameters (for example, quality of treated water went from 1.5 NTU at start of contract to less than 0.5 NTU at end-1999).
• Plant certified ISO 9002 in November 1999, in compliance with commitments made, and ISO 9001:2000 at end-2005.