In Bogota, large parts of the city were disconnected from the water network on Thursday to maintain dangerously low water levels in reservoirs, which have been almost completely drained by the weather phenomenon known as El Niño, reports said. Watchman.
Bogotá's mayor, Carlos Fernando Galán, recommended couples shower together and asked residents to consider abandoning daily hygiene practices altogether because water reservoirs are at “historic lows.”
The mayor asked: “If you do not leave your home on Sunday or any other day of the week, take advantage of this and do not shower.”
The El Niño phenomenon, which usually causes reduced rainfall in South America, has caused record droughts and record temperatures this year, forcing administrations across the region to implement emergency measures.
Located in the Andes, 2,600 meters above sea level, Bogotá has been spared some of the most horrific scenes. The normally rainy capital receives an average of 1,020mm of rain per year, which is almost double what London receives.
However, due to unusually long heat and drought, wildfires have broken out in the forests surrounding the capital, and the water reservoirs used by about 10 million people are now severely depleted.
The Chingaza Reservoir, which provides 70 percent of the capital's water supply, contains 16 percent of its water resources. This is the lowest value recorded.
According to estimates from Bogotá's public water service provider, there may still be enough water available for 54 days.
In order to prevent a disaster, local authorities have divided Bogotá into nine zones, each of which will be cut off from the water network for 24 hours. The city mayor did not say how long the measures would last, but he asked Bogota residents to reduce consumption so that the measures could be ended sooner.
It is likely that few would take Galán's advice not to shower, as Colombians are very clean
said a resident of the capital.
Bogota is not the only major city in Latin America that has had to take action against drought. Mexico City's water supply has also been depleted over the past month, and a state of emergency was declared in Guatemala on Wednesday as the country struggles to contain forest fires.
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