Institutional historical development

Institutional historical development in recent decades, the Colombian sector of water supply and sanitation was subjected to various processes of centralization and decentralization. Since the enactment of a new sector policy in 1994, governments have pursued the following basic policies stable, promoting targeted transfers to municipalities, private sector participation, consolidation regulation, cost recovery and a system of cross subsidies. In the first half of the twentieth century, municipalities had the responsibility of providing water and sanitation in Colombia. In 1950, as in many other countries, adopted a centralized scheme and created the Municipal Development Institute (INSFOPAL).through the National Institute of Municipal Development, created the ACUAS, departmental entities formed with the participation of the Department, the Municipalities and Insfopal, which would be responsible for managing and conserving water and sewage affiliated populations, channeling the State’s investment in that important item of public health. In 1976, following a change in the government sector pol tca the ACUAS turned into EMPOS, implementing agencies of a regional or municipal, called Enterprise Works Sanitatias (EMPOS). ACUAS and were in charge of EMPOS the financing, planning, development and management of public services in most municipalities. However, some municipalities held the responsibility for service provision at local level and created municipal companies.The most notable case is that of the Empresas Publicas de Medellin (EPM), a multi-sector company established in 1955, owned by the municipality. At this time, nationally, the water sector institutionally dependent Ministry of Health. In the eighties the sector was in crisis. The INSFOPAL was settled in 1989 and the responsibility to provide services after four decades returned to municipalities, except in some cases as in the Cauca Valley where regional firms remained. In addition, no institutional responsibility was assigned to the Ministry of Health, but the sector joined the Ministry of Economic Development. This change was not only a name change and dependence, but a real institutional change.

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