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Aerial view of green fields, a road, and a winding river with distant hills under a cloudy sky.Aerial view of green fields, a road, and a winding river with distant hills under a cloudy sky.

Delivering a cleaner Bogotá River 

The Canoas Wastewater Treatment Plant plays a pivotal role in Bogotá’s river cleanup, advancing public health and urban sustainability. 

Client

Bogota Water, Sewerage and Sanitation Company

Location

Bogota, Colombia

Connect with an expert

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Jeff Montera PMP
Director of the International Development Group

Flagship project for river recovery and urban transformation 

In CDM Smith’s first international project in the 1960s, the company developed Bogotá’s first wastewater master plan, identifying the need for a cityscale treatment facility. Today, the Canoas WWTP represents one of Colombia’s flagship environmental projects, with an average daily flow of 16 m³/s. It complements the Salitre WWTP, which since 2010 has treated only a third of Bogotá’s wastewater. The Canoas plant is a cornerstone of the Bogotá River cleanup scheme, comparable to major river recovery efforts in Europe such as the Seine and Thames.

Design comprehensive treatment capacity  

Conceptual design covers three phases, with Phase I including chemical assisted primary treatment, sludge digestion, biogas energy recovery, and biosolids production.

Improve public health and urban quality

River cleanup reduces disease, lowers public spending on health, and enhances quality of life for communities along its banks.

Create environmental and recreational value

Recovery of the river boosts property values, enables green spaces, and supports ecological trails for families.

Enable future agricultural reuse

Phase II will allow treated river water to be used for irrigation in the lower basin.

The Canoas WWTP project promotes a culture of environmental respect and civic pride, turning the Bogotá River into a natural attraction for the city. With its phased design and advanced treatment technologies, the project will deliver high-impact gains in health, sustainability, and urban development. Once complete, Bogotá will move closer to its vision of becoming a cosmopolitan city with clean waterways, new recreational spaces, and expanded opportunities for investment and employment. 

Curious to learn more? 

Connect with an expert to find out how we delivered this project.

Person in a blue suit jacket and patterned shirt stands outdoors.

Jeff Montera

Director

Jeff delivers sustainable technical assistance and manages planning, design, and construction for water, transportation, environmental and energy projects worldwide.

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