Connecting the disconnected. A field study about urban sanitation in Medellín, Colombia

Abstract

Despite remarkable progress in Medellín, Colombia, many people do still not have access to improved sanitation. This master thesis explores why Medellín has been successful but also why the city is still failing, by examining the importance of economic income, housing tenure, and community participation. This is done by a quantitative OLS regression analysis between different neighbourhoods followed up by qualitative informant interviews analysed through a stakeholder analysis to make possible motives clear. The results show that economic income is the most important factor for access to sanitation in Medellín, but the other factors show to be important as well when conducting the interviews. Housing tenure is important when it comes to get included in the official network since the sanitary perimeter and the POT decides who should be included, and one essential requirement for that is housing tenure. Previously, research has focused on community participation during projects. That is important also in Medellín but this thesis also finds that it is essential for the community to be active before a project in order for it to actually take place. In addition, communities solve their necessities through local solutions.