CAR grants water concession to Unidad El Vergel

After more than a year of joint work by the interdisciplinary team of UCundinamarca, led by Dr. Carlos Fernando Gómez, administrative director of the Facatativá Extension and the Environmental Management System with the participation of the administration of the Agro-environmental Unit, the Cultural Learning Field, teachers and students of the Extension, through Resolution 070 of 2021, the Regional Autonomous Corporation of Cundinamarca – CAR granted the “Surface Water Concession” to the El Vergel Agro-environmental Unit, UAA which allows the acquisition of the right to use or take advantage of public waters.

“The approval of the water concession is a great achievement as it brings great benefits to the El Vergel Agro-environmental Unit of the Facatativá extension, not only for the economic savings and supply of water for the unit's own activities, but also directs the development of activities in favor of the conservation of areas of environmental and ecological interest, such as the Bogotá river basin, the Botello river and especially the Mancilla village where the UAA is located,” explained Ruby Paola Quevedo Artunduaga, coordinator of the El Vergel Agro-environmental Unit.

It is worth highlighting that for the process of obtaining the surface water concession, more than 30 working groups were held, led by Dr. Gómez and the Environmental Management System, Engineer Sandra Milena León - SGA Coordinator and Diana Carolina Russi, SGA professional from the Extension, with the participation of the senior management headed by Dr. Isabel Quintero, General Secretary, the Manager of the El Vergel Agro-environmental Unit, the coordinators and teachers of the Environmental Engineering and Agronomic Engineering programs, the legal office, the Occupational Safety and Health professional of the central node, the leader of the Cultural Learning Field “Care of nature” and on the part of the students, interns of the Environmental Management System.

The process arose from the internal audit of the Environmental Management System -ISO 14001:2015, carried out in November 2019 at the Facatativá Extension and from whose improvement plan, the actions were projected to obtain the Surface Water Concession of the El Vergel Agro-environmental Unit, with articulated working groups, taking measurements, topographic survey, preparation of documentation such as the formulation of the Efficient Use of Water Saving Program –PUEAA, actions developed in an articulated manner with the interdisciplinary team, during the 2020 and 2021 period, with the support of the senior management.

“These are seven projects that contribute to the proper management of water resources with activities such as measurement, environmental education, rainwater harvesting, special management zones, among others, which contribute to the PUEAA and the institutional commitment,” explained Diana Carolina Russi, environmental professional at the Extension.

In December 2020, the documents were filed with the CAR Sabana de Occidente and in April the technical environmental assessment visit was received by the CAR at the Agro-environmental Unit, based on which the response was issued in which it was ratified, through resolution 70 of July 8, 2021, that the Concession was granted.

“This is a very important achievement that highlights the commitment of the Facatativá Extension, and with it the commitment at the institutional level, and brings us one step closer to the goal of institutional environmental certification, under international standards of ISO 14001:2015, a process that has been carried out in an articulated and translocal manner, in order to materialize that commitment of the university community, to live and act environmentally in balance with nature,” said Sandra Milena León, Coordinator of the Environmental Management System.

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