Efectos del acceso al agua potable en la población de Murindó (Colombia): Un enfoque basado en Dinámica de Sistemas

In Colombia, the non-interconnected zones (ZNI), such as Murindó, have high levels of unmet basic needs (NBI), including a lack of access to drinking water. This article evaluates the process of water potabilization in Murindó by simulation with Systems Dynamics, which includes a conceptual model, computational model, and structure validation, to establish a scenario for improvement and comparison with evaluation indicators. The novelty of this research lies in using quantitative tools to evaluate drinking water policies with solar-based technologies, adapted to isolated communities without an aqueduct or electrical interconnection. Among the results, it was found that in the current situation of the municipality, there is a high consumption of non-potable water from the river and, therefore, of sick people. Similarly, by implementing a solution consisting of a portable water purification plant from solar energy, there was a 90% to 100% decrease in the consumption of non-potable water, as well as a similar decrease in the rate of sick people, also varied between 90% and 100%. As a conclusion, the implementation of a policy on water purification in Murindó improves school absenteeism indicators by up to 52%, economic income by up to 98% and cost of treatment of the disease by up to 65%. This study demonstrates the potential of sustainable and cost-effective solutions to improve access to water and public health in underserved rural communities.