Despite unprecedented technological progress and global connectivity, access to safe drinking water remains one of the most urgent challenges of our time. In Colombia, the contrast is stark: while cities modernize, millions in rural communities still lack reliable water sources. Every year, 3.5 million people die globally from water-related diseases, and 6.2 million Colombians consume unsafe water, causing over 1,300 preventable child deaths annually. This crisis is both a humanitarian and developmental barrier. The Agua Torna project rises as an innovative response, delivering autonomous, sustainable, and verifiable purification systems to rural populations beyond the reach of conventional infrastructure.
The Colombian market reflects this deficit starkly: only 73.2% of the rural population has formal aqueduct coverage, and the available sources, rivers, streams, and wells, show contamination levels that exceed by 50–70% the regulatory limits for fecal bacteria, agricultural nutrients, and heavy metals. In this scenario, Agua Torna redefines access to water as a fundamental human right, providing a solution that transforms risks into opportunities for health, education, and economic development. Located in Antioquia and Santander, with presence in municipalities such as Puerto Wilches, the project installs modular filters with silicon carbide (SiC) ceramic ultrafiltration technology, capable of removing 99.99% of microorganisms without electricity or chemicals, ensuring sustainability and autonomy in isolated areas.
The rationale is clear: to reduce waterborne diseases, improve quality of life, ensure that children can attend school without absenteeism due to diarrhea, and build resilience in communities facing droughts, health crises, and structural inequality. With more than 300 units already installed in rural schools thanks to Fundación EPM and pilots implemented with Ecopetrol in Santander, Agua Torna has proven technical and social effectiveness, enabling each filter to provide safe water for up to 500 people daily. Key actors include Torna, as the technological developer; Fundación EPM, as operator and structurer through its “Agua para la Educación, Educación para el Agua” program; Ecopetrol, as a corporate partner integrating these solutions in critical communities; and Fundación Severde, as an enabler of regional scaling in Latin America.
Its link to the Water Positive strategy is tangible: it complies with the principle of additionality by generating benefits that would not otherwise occur; it ensures traceability through VWBA and WASH BA methodologies that quantify improvements in quality, quantity, and access; and it drives intentionality by integrating environmental education and social responsibility at every stage. Agua Torna is not just a filtration system but a regenerative movement proving that every purified liter means fewer diseases, more opportunities, and a fairer future for historically excluded communities.
Contaminated water is one of the main technical and environmental problems in rural Colombia. Rivers, wells, and reservoirs are loaded with suspended solids, bacteria, viruses, parasites, and chemical substances that make them unfit for consumption. The absence of electricity in many communities and the lack of basic sanitation infrastructure exacerbate a vicious circle of disease, poverty, and lost productivity. Against this backdrop, Agua Torna identifies a strategic opportunity: to deploy Torna® modular filters with SiC ceramic ultrafiltration technology, capable of eliminating contaminants with 0.01–0.1 micron filtration, without electricity or chemicals, and with minimal maintenance. This innovation radically transforms the model of access to water in vulnerable contexts.
The expected impact is multidimensional. In the short term, each Torna 300 or 500 filter guarantees immediate safe drinking water for communities, schools, and health centers, reducing diarrheal diseases by up to 80–90%. In the medium term, improved public health translates into higher school attendance, community productivity, and reduced medical expenses. In the long term, the project strengthens watershed conservation, promotes sustainable practices, and builds resilience against droughts and climate crises. The transformed volume is remarkable: each unit can treat up to 500 liters per hour, equivalent to the daily consumption of hundreds of people, with a traceable and verifiable benefit under VWBA.
The structural and regulatory causes behind this crisis are multiple: incomplete rural aqueduct coverage, lack of effective sanitation regulations in isolated areas, and the historical prioritization of large cities in public investment. Agua Torna provides an alternative that not only solves a technical deficit but enables a new paradigm: decentralized, autonomous, and replicable safe water. The model has already been tested in over 300 installations in Antioquia and Santander, with audited results, and is fully scalable to other agro-industrial regions, marginal urban areas, or livestock and industrial sectors.
This is a project where companies can become protagonists. Food, energy, education, or industrial companies with ESG goals will find here a unique opportunity: to contribute measurably to the SDGs, meet emerging regulations, differentiate themselves in a market where sustainability is a competitive value, and position themselves as leaders in a global narrative of change. The opportunity to act now is inescapable: each Agua Torna installation not only saves lives and protects critical watersheds such as the Magdalena River but also builds a legacy of resilience and sustainability that companies can proudly share in their impact reports and in the international market.
The proposed solution is based on the installation of modular silicon carbide (SiC) ceramic ultrafiltration filters, a robust, innovative, and validated technology that mechanically removes up to 99.99% of bacteria, viruses, and parasites without chemical inputs, chlorine, or electricity. Its operation through gravitational pressure or manual pumping makes it especially suitable for isolated rural communities, ensuring autonomy and sustainability in contexts without energy infrastructure. This solution was selected after a comparative analysis with alternatives such as conventional chlorination, boiling, or reverse osmosis systems, which were discarded due to higher operating costs, dependence on inputs, or technical vulnerability.
In addition, Torna filters are modular and scalable: from domestic units of 100 L/hour to compact plants capable of supplying communities of 500 to 5,000 inhabitants, allowing the solution to be adapted to the size and needs of each population.
The quantifiable benefits include the recovery of safe water flows for human consumption and the reduction of waterborne diseases by 80–90%, along with the elimination of chemical chlorination in community processes. This directly impacts health, school attendance, and labor productivity indicators. At the environmental level, the intervention reduces pressure on contaminated surface sources, decreases extraction of poor-quality water, and prevents untreated wastewater discharges into the environment. It also contributes to indirect energy savings by eliminating the need to boil water or transport chemicals.
The most relevant operational risks, filter clogging, vandalism, or lack of maintenance, are mitigated with an integrated scheme that includes community training in operation and care, standardized management protocols, digital traceability through sensors and reports, and a technical and logistical support system provided by strategic partners. The maintenance plan includes periodic filter cleaning, preventive membrane replacement every 5 years, and annual training sessions, all within a logic of continuous improvement, external auditing, and regional replicability.
The implementation approach is phased and adaptive, unfolding through a sequence of interconnected stages that combine technical rigor with community participation. In the first stage, Diagnosis and Baseline (0–3 months), field teams conduct water quality assessments using multiparameter portable kits and accredited laboratories. They measure turbidity (NTU), total coliforms and E. coli (CFU/100 ml), heavy metals (mg/L), and pH, while also collecting community survey data to establish consumption habits and the prevalence of waterborne diseases. All information is georeferenced and uploaded into a digital registry, creating a precise baseline that guides the intervention.
The second stage, Execution and Installation (3–6 months), involves selecting the appropriate Torna® ultrafiltration units (100–500 L/h) and deploying them on-site with trained local crews. During installation, technicians perform integrity tests on membranes, monitor flows with electromagnetic meters, and check valve sealing to guarantee performance. Simultaneously, community leaders are trained through manuals and hands-on workshops to build operational ownership. This stage typically requires up to three months to complete.
The third stage, Monitoring and Validation (6–12 months), emphasizes performance tracking. Monthly tests for turbidity, total coliforms, and E. coli are carried out with portable Hach/Labtech devices, while semiannual validations are confirmed in certified laboratories. Flow and pressure sensors transmit continuous data to a cloud platform. Independent audits under VWBA and WASH BA methodologies validate key performance indicators, ensuring that reported benefits are reliable and transparent. This monitoring is ongoing from the sixth month onward.
The fourth stage, Operation and Maintenance (12 months and beyond), ensures sustainability over time. Routine activities include monthly filter cleaning using backwash kits, quarterly inspections of joints and valves, and preventive membrane replacement every five years. Communities receive annual training sessions on preventive and predictive maintenance, and operators prepare quarterly digital O&M reports to document performance and issues.
A Comprehensive Monitoring Plan underpins all phases, tracking indicators such as potable water delivered (m³/month), percentage of beneficiaries with safe access, reduction of diarrheal prevalence, microbiological removal efficiency (>99.99%), and estimated household healthcare savings. These measurements use multiparameter probes, flow meters, portable incubators, and rapid detection kits, with results consolidated into digital dashboards accessible to both auditors and funders. Additionally, an Alarm and Reporting System automatically alerts stakeholders if anomalies occur, such as low flow, abnormal pressure, or water quality deviations. Monthly community reports and semiannual external audits ensure accountability.
Overall, implementation follows a logic of continuous improvement. Physical traceability is assured through equipment serialization and logbooks, while digital traceability is maintained via a georeferenced monitoring platform. This integrated approach not only guarantees accountability but also supports regional replicability and scalability, enabling Agua Torna to expand effectively into other vulnerable basins.This approach consolidates Agua Torna as a transformative platform capable of changing the paradigm of drinking water access in forgotten regions.
Agua Torna is a comprehensive decentralized water purification solution that integrates science, industrial innovation, social governance, and environmental sustainability into one operational model. From the outset, the project begins with a careful identification of rural communities in Antioquia and Santander where aqueduct coverage is limited and contamination of local sources is high. Initial assessments combine microbiological and chemical sampling with community health and consumption surveys, ensuring that interventions respond to real needs.
The technological backbone is silicon carbide (SiC) ceramic ultrafiltration, deployed in modular systems from 100 to 500 L/h. These filters can remove up to 99.99% of pathogens without electricity or chemicals, offering a sustainable and autonomous solution. Their modularity ensures scalability, from households to schools, health centers, and entire small communities. This choice of technology reflects a strategic decision, balancing robustness, cost-efficiency, and suitability for off-grid environments.
Implementation follows structured phases that include baseline analysis, installation, monitoring, and long-term maintenance, each supported by clear KPIs such as turbidity levels, coliform counts, safe water volumes, and disease reduction rates. Digital platforms consolidate sensor data, laboratory validations, and community reports, ensuring traceability and transparency. External audits using VWBA and WASH BA methodologies reinforce credibility and allow the benefits to be reported in ESG frameworks.
Governance and education are integral to the model. Community leaders are trained in O&M practices and receive manuals, workshops, and annual refresher sessions. Local water committees are established to supervise operation, address issues, and coordinate with institutional partners. At the same time, environmental education promotes responsible water use and hygiene practices, embedding long-term behavioral change.
The results are already visible: more than 300 systems installed have improved access for thousands of people, reducing childhood diarrhea cases by up to 90% and increasing school attendance. Each unit installed substitutes thousands of plastic bottles annually, cutting plastic waste and reducing pressure on unsafe water sources.
Strategically, Agua Torna offers companies and institutions a powerful value proposition: compliance with ESG and SDG targets, differentiation in markets where sustainability is a competitive advantage, and alignment with the Water Positive roadmap. Every dollar invested translates into measurable social, environmental, and reputational returns.
Looking ahead, the project seeks to expand into other critical basins in Latin America, integrate renewable energy solutions for pumping, and scale up through public-private partnerships. Its replicability and scalability position Agua Torna as a regional benchmark in decentralized water access.
In conclusion, Agua Torna is not only a technological solution but a holistic ecosystem of social, technical, and environmental innovation. It secures safe water as a human right while simultaneously driving resilience, economic opportunity, and water justice for vulnerable communities in the 21st century.
