Paola Mora

Water sources contamination

Pitalito certainly is a beautiful city which is in growth, its fauna and flora is so rich, and the water sources are abundant. However, as long as it growth, the contamination will be more evident. Pitalito has several environmental problems, between them are: the air pollution, the contamination with litter, and water sources contamination.

The air pollution is principally attributed to the brick production, because Pitalito is formed by a big brick factories, the contamination with wastes is another worrying problem, due to the improper handling of these, the waste disposal sites was situated an open air, however this situation changed due to new proposals for the proper handling waste, and the recycling initiative, although the lack of environmental awareness affect a large proportion of the population yet; but the most difficult and marked problem is the water sources contamination, and the lack of environmental awareness has been reflected here every day. Pitalito count with important body of water such as: the “Guarapas” river, which receives the sewage or wastewater of more than five neighborhoods of Pitalito city every day; the “Guachicos” river, which is the second most important water source in Huila department; the “Cálamo” stream, “Zanjón de los Tiestos”, “Zanjón del Burro”, “Matanzas”, “La Aguada”, “Negra”, “La Chircaleña”, “La Chorrera”, “Danta”, “Berlín” streams, among others, which are very important water sources in this municipality, and connect with the Magdalena river, one of the most important river in this country what is contaminated too, and result the killing and destroy the wildlife.

Imagen taken from For Peace Presence

In the city, the people throw the wastes in the river, cut the trees around the river, discharge the toilets wastes in the river, among others. It is terrible taking into account that when in the city there is not water due to the strong raining, the people go to river for using untreated water, water what is contaminated by themselves. Personally, I believe they need learn about their bad acts and their lack of environmental conscience, and if you ask me this is an awful show of lack of good culture, solidarity and cohesion.

Now, Pitalito is known for coffee production, and its big coffee plantations. So in the rural zone the misuse of water sources is reflected in the contamination of small streams which use as dumps of toxic and hazardous wastes, as poison bottles or even poisons, the waste of bodies of water used in the washed and treatment of coffee, and the floating particles, such as fruit flesh and coffee grounds, are discarded in the streams. It seems to me, an excessive sign of irresponsibility because the possible solution is in the hands of small and large farmers, associations as “Comité de cafeteros” and “CAM” told to the farmers the solutions and some of them received the materials for a filtration system where floating particles, such as fruit flesh and coffee grounds, are efficiently eliminated by the fourfold wash water filtration system with soiled water sensor, because in my view the “Comité de cafeteros” recognize than one of the main challenges was the treatment of waste water used for washing the coffee - often due to bad infrastructure.

Furthermore, some days ago I saw as a farmer made bad use of water for discarding the pulp of this fruit, and the mucilage was removed by fermentation with a big quantity of water; when for discarding the pulp isn’t necessary water, I thought, it is a terrible wastage of a vital resource as the water. In addition to, a week ago people who live in La Laguna, a township of Pitalito; made a serious report about the contamination in “La Laguna de Guaitipan” an important tourist site in the region, the farmers apparently dumped the coffee waste in the stream, reason why the water changed its color and many fish have death. I reckon we need be productive and more responsible.

Feedback

By Astrid Garnica

The following message has like objective tell you that I saw your essay on the different environmental problems facing your region and to be honest we can summarize it in two words, lack of culture, that is the reason why the rivers are affected. From my point of view these problems can be mitigated by creating citizens awareness, but unfortunately only when water scarcity begins or health is affected by pollution, is when people begin to value and care for this vital resource.

Respect to the structure of your essay, evidences the use of connectors which allows that there is coherence in all the essay. It's a good job.

By Fabiola Suarez

Paola, I read your paper about Water sources contamination, and I remember it’s a common problem in our country, when I lived in Colombia that was a mayor problem in the “Rio Frio” in Chia. The waste from the agriculture pesticides irrigation is going to the river, nowadays that situation continue but to a minor scale because the town is now a city and agriculture was replaced by the construction of buildings with apartments. The air pollution is other problem there too, as the city is growing, cars are used more, and the air is less clean now than ten or fifteen years ago. There are less trees and green spaces too. I think it is an environmental problem in all little towns that are growing and becoming cities as Cajica, Sopo and Zipaquira.

On the other hand, even here in US these problems exist too, but not at the big scale than in Colombia, this is because here the law enforcement works so much better. However, I think that here are other problems as hunting wild animals and the indiscriminate use of very toxic pesticides. Personally, I think the lack of environmental awareness is all over the world, human beings have the fake believe that all natural sources are infinite and that environmental problems are responsibility of the government, enterprises or business, but people don’t see this situations as a personal matter and therefore they don’t feel responsible for this mayor situations.

I share your point of view about this issue, we need in our country laws that really protect our more precious treasure WATER.

I could find only this error in your paper “Pitalito count with some important bodies of water such as:” I think you were making a great job, I suggest you put your paper under the format given for our tutor.

By Liliana Calambaz

To my way of thinking, It´s unfortunate that a resource so important and essential to guarantee the preservation of all species, as it´s the water, this has come decreasing both quality and quantity, as you declare in your essay. These consequences are evident in some region more than in others, but they are endangering the lives of future generations of all species. I feel that there are several situations to consider about it, one of them it´s the fact that we have the idea that water is a renewable and unlimited resource and as a consequence we use it without control in our daily activities therefore, actions for the conservation of this precious liquid do not visible yet.

On the other hand, we also can contribute to conservation of the water from our homes for instance: take shorter showers, turn off the water after you wet your toothbrush and so on.
Well done!

By Luis Serrano

I checked your essay, it is a bit similar with my environmental problem, the water our most precious liquid. It seems to me that the environmental problems in your city could be a cultural problems, as you have described there is not control agencies that regulate this phenomenon, and worse yet the people in this city seems do not care about it; it is a shame that we do not have that culture of protecting our nature resources.

On the other hand, I think that your essay is ok, but your topic sentence I cannot see it in your introduction, you talking about the “water source contamination”, and you start generalizing all the problems, i.e “However, as long as it growth, the contamination will be more evident, Pitalito has several environmental problems” perhaps you should focus on water pollution first, by mean of a persuasive statement that catch the reader’s attention, for example “Pitalito may run out of water in a couples of years”.

Audio Link

AUDIO BY PAOLA MORA

References

Diario del Huila (2016). “Grave situación por contaminación de fuentes hídricas en el Huila.” Retrieved from: https://diariodelhuila.com/dominical/grave-situacion-por-contaminacionde-
fuentes-hidricas-en-el-huila-cdgint20161211040904127

La voz de la Región (2017). “Denuncian grave caso de contaminación del agua en la laguna Guatipan de Pitalito.” Retrieved from: https://lavozdelaregion.co/denuncian-grave-casocontaminacion-del-agua-la-laguna-guatipan-pitalito/

Ramírez, C., Gómez, C., Orjuela, C, Cerquera, O. (n. d) “Perfil Productivo Municipio de Pitalito.”
Retrieved from:
http://www.alcaldianeiva.gov.co/Ciudadanos/PublicaObservat/Perfil%20Productivo%20
Municipio%20de%20Pitalito.pdf

Universidad Nacional de Colombia (n. d). “Plan de ordenamiento territorial.” Retrieved from:
http://cdim.esap.edu.co/BancoMedios/Documentos%20PDF/parte_1_pitalito_%2821_pag_74_kb%29.pdf

“Municipio De Pitalito.”(n. d). Retrieved from: http://www.pitalito-huila.gov.co/apc-aafiles/495052435f494e464f524d4547454c54/INFORME_MEDIO_AMBIENTE_1.pdf