Location: Soacha, Bogota, Columbia
Deliverable: community master plan
Key Features: sustainable infrastructure master planning, stormwater management, wastewater management
Within Soacha, a southern borough of Bogota, Columbia, is El Vinculo, a 175ha mixed use, but predominantly residential, development. The site is interesting in that the 69ha of hillside are zoned as a conservation area and construction of buildings is not permitted. This restriction provided an interesting opportunity for biological treatment of residential wastewater. Residential wastewater is a topic of particular interest in Colombia, and especially Bogota, as the Bogota River is highly contaminated with blackwater which is illegally dumped directly into the river.
The design team initially worked with Todd Ecological to develop a biological wastewater treatment facility that would reside on terraced slopes of the hillside conservation area. This original concept evolved through the design stages into a modular and compact EcoMachine treatment building that would serve as a cultural and educational hub for the development. The landscape design team worked with our Client to design an integrated and unique amenity space where the residents would feel comfortable learning from and being proud of their sustainable community.
The biological treatment system will treat the wastewater from some 5000 residents to standards well below the water quality regulations of the municipality. It will also cost less to construct than a package waste treatment plant for the same population, cost less to operate and maintain, and can provide a direct source of revenue in the form of cut flowers or composted mulch.
By integrating the development’s wastewater treatment into the community, the design team was able to find a cost effective solution which satisfied all local Authorities, prevented ecological contamination, and positioned our Client as a potential leader in sustainable development within the Colombian development context.
