Through this strategic pillar, Ecopetrol seeks to offset the remaining water consumption footprint by implementing solutions based on nature and natural climate solutions, that contribute to the recovery, conservation, and improvement of water resources, as well as reducing the gap in access to drinking water and sanitation in areas where we operate.

Natural capital management

During 2023, based on voluntary and mandatory actions, 167.922 hectares were intervened in conservation (96% have been developed from voluntary projects and 4% from mandatory compliance), including through conservation agreements signed with communities, 1.505 (31% have been developed from voluntary projects and 69% from mandatory compliance) hectares planted or in the restoration process, 8.236 hectares protected through different figures of conservation (100% have been developed from voluntary projects), and 15.583 hectares included in the Eco-reserves Network (100% have been developed from voluntary projects). In addition, 198,13 kilometers of surface water bodies were protected (29% have been developed from voluntary projects and 71% from mandatory compliance).

Access to drinking water and sanitation

Ecopetrol aims to benefit 1.329.704 people with access to drinking water and basic sanitation by 2024. By 2023, 813.129 people have benefited, representing 61% of this goal which 15.019 people benefited in 2023. It is highlighted that, during this period, the execution of projects that contribute to closing the gap in access to drinking water in rural areas was completed, such as the construction of the Water Plant Drinking Water Treatment – Altos de Pompeya PTAP in a rural area in Villavicencio (Meta), benefiting 1,329 people.

Similarly, 7 projects are being executed that will benefit more than 660.000 people, such as:

• Sub-projects 2 and 3 of the Metropolitan Aqueduct of Cúcuta, will improve the conditions of access to drinking water in the municipalities of Villa del Rosario and Los Patios (Norte de Santander)
• The replacement of distribution networks of the urban aqueduct of Villa del Rosario (Norte de Santander), which in 2023 benefited 2.020 people.
• Construction of the Wastewater Treatment Plant (PTAR) in San Silvestre and the sludge treatment system of the urban aqueduct in Barrancabermeja (Santander).
• The expansion and optimization of the Drinking Water Treatment Plant - urban PTAP of Guamal (Meta) which in 2023 benefited 11,670 people.
• The construction of 1 production center and, 6 public batteries in the rural area of Manaure (La Guajira) and the construction of the Altamira Drinking Water Treatment Plant – PTAP in Puerto Lopez (Meta).

Seeking to strength the capacity of territorial entities in the formulation and structuration of projects through the provision of technical assistance for the development of studies and designs, Ecopetrol completed 4 studies and designs of aqueduct systems that benefit about 3.993 people:

• Studies and designs for the construction of the supply network for the Sabanas del Rosario - Castilla La Nueva (Meta) district.
• Studies and designs for the construction of the aqueduct system of the Populated Center of the Arizona - Puerto Caicedo district (Putumayo).
• Studies and designs of the new adduction line of the Inter-veredal aqueduct of Tibú (Norte de Santander).
• Pre-feasibility studies and designs for the construction of the aqueduct system of the La Esmeralda - Acacías (Meta) district.

Water planning and governance

This topic seeks to have a positive impact on the territorial ordering, planning and management of water resources in the company's areas of interest.

For Ecopetrol it is important to support and be part on the work related to water security carried out by international, national, and regional organization, through the following initiatives:

CEO Water Mandate

Since 2014, Ecopetrol has been publicly committed to sustainable water management through its adherence to the CEO Water Mandate initiative, promoted by the United Nations Global Compact. Currently, the water security initiatives promoted by Ecopetrol are part of the global platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange for water sustainability and climate resilience -Water Action Hub.

Water for Colombia Coalition

Since 2018, Ecopetrol has been part of to the promoter group of the Water for Colombia Coalition, a multisectoral national initiative that seeks to improve the water security of 15 sub-basins, which together represent an area where 48% of the National GDP is produced and where 43% of the population lives. Currently, Ecopetrol is part of the working groups: corporate standards, public policies, and technology and innovation.

Water Governance Mechanism

Considering the analysis of the water security situation in the municipalities of Villavicencio and Acacias in the Department of Meta, and the feasibility study for implementing a multisectoral collective action platform, The Promoter Group was formed with the participation of 13 public and private entities, which committed to working on collective efforts to address the challenges of water security in the supply basins of the two municipalities. During 2023, the Strategic Plan was formulated defining the roadmap for the execution of the Collective Action Mechanism, setting out the vision and mission for the year 2040, as well as the objectives, strategic lines with interventions, goals, and indicators for the year 2028 and 2033. (first 5 and 10 years of operation of the Mechanism). The strategic lines focus on:

• Conservation, rehabilitation, and restoration of the ecological structure for the provision of ecosystem services and contributing to adaptation to the variability of climate change.
• Relevant and timely hydroclimatic, social, and environmental information for decision-making in integral water management.
• Integral management and governance of water for the conservation of supply sources and improvement of the availability of water resources. 
• Disaster risk management to reduce the degradation and instability of areas surrounded by surface freshwater withdrawal and areas with low protection of aquifer recharge areas.

Environmental baseline of hydrological and water quality data for the Middle Magdalena Valley (VMM)

In alliance with IDEAM, between 2021 and 2023, the updating and monitoring of the state of surface water resources in the Valle del Magdalena Medio were carried out, providing crucial information for socio-environmental planning and management in this area of the country. This study covered an area of 44.440 km2, mainly focusing on the hydrographic subzones of the Opón, Middle-Low Lebrija, and Sogamoso rivers, and the stretch of the Magdalena River between them, which supply water to approximately 218 municipalities in the departments of Cesar, Santander, Norte de Santander, Boyacá, Bolívar, and Antioquia.

During 3 years of work, the following objectives were achieved:

1. Monitoring, forecasting, and generation of hydrometeorological and surface water quality alerts in the Valle del Magdalena Medio (VMM), for this:

•  A Regional Center for Hydrometeorological and Surface Water Quality Forecasting and Alerts was designed and implemented, located at the Center for Comprehensive Disaster Risk Management (CEGIRD) in Floridablanca, Santander.
• Approximately 635 daily hydrometeorological alert bulletins were generated and disseminated, supplied to local and departmental authorities, actors in the disaster risk management system, and organized community groups. These bulletins can be accessed on the IDEAM website: www.ideam.gov.co by selecting the bulletins section.
• The quantity and quality of water resources were monitored at 31 reference points through 8 campaigns, allowing for tracking of different hydrological and seasonal regimes (high and low water) in the area. However, this period coincided with an extended La Niña phenomenon (from August 2020 to March 2023), with rainfall exceeding historical averages.

2. Determination of the state of surface water resources in the Valle del Magdalena Medio (MMV):

• The estimation of water consumption in the region for human needs was carried out; productive processes such as industries, agriculture, livestock, energy, and construction, among other activities; and demand by ecosystems.
• With the monitoring of water resources and the application of the SWAT (Soil & Water Assessment Tool) model, the hydrological and water quality behavior was established in terms of Water Use Index (WUI), Water Regulation Index (WRI), Aridity Index (AI), Water Quality Index in surface streams (WQI), and Potential Alteration Index of Water Quality (PAIWQ).
• Using field information, time series, and bathymetry, the environmental flow was measured in three stretches of the Sogamoso, Opón, and Middle-Low Lebrija hydrographic subzones. Thus, the natural and altered hydrological regime was characterized according to water uses in the area, and the hydrological, hydraulic, and hydrobiological components of environmental flow were calculated.
• From hydrological and hydraulic modeling, the spatial and temporal variability of flow rates, levels, and their response to current and future climatic conditions were characterized to improve the early warning and flood forecasting system integrated into the IDEAM's FEWS platform. This was complemented by morphodynamic characterization (historical patterns of sediment flow and deposition) and geomorphological conditions along 230 km of the Magdalena River (between the Puerto Berrío station and the Sitio Nuevo station in Puerto Wilches).

3. Strengthening the technical capacity of the Santander Autonomous Regional Corporation (CAS) in surface water resource monitoring; objective was developed in two aspects:

• The first aspect focused on strengthening the technical capacity of CAS professionals responsible for monitoring, analyzing, interpreting, and disseminating hydrometeorological data, covering general aspects of hydrometeorological network design and hydrometeorological data processing, as well as surface water quality.
• The second aspect focused on formulating the Regional Institutional Program for Monitoring the quantity and quality of water (PIRMA) within the jurisdictional area of CAS, and its sources of financing.

4. Design and implementation of the dissemination and communications plan for hydrometeorological monitoring, forecasting, and alerts, as well as surface water quality in the MMV.

• All information generated during the study was incorporated into IDEAM's information systems for public access. Additionally, a publication with the study results was created and can be accessed.

Environmental baseline of hydrology and water quality of the Middle Magdalena Valley (MMV)

This publication synthesizes the results of the work carried out from 2021 to 2023, aimed at strengthening the integrated water management in the hydrographic subzones of the Sogamoso, Lebrija, and Opón rivers and in the stretch of the Magdalena River between them, through the knowledge and evaluation of the quantity and quality of surface and groundwater, the generation of hydrometeorological forecasts and alerts, and the analysis of environmental flow in some stretches of the main rivers. Additionally, it includes the Regional Institutional Program for Monitoring the Quantity and Quality of Water (PIRMA acronym in Spanish) of the Santander Autonomous Regional Corporation – CAS (acronym in Spanish), an instrument that guides and integrates strategies and actions to improve the generation of information and knowledge for integrated water management within the jurisdiction of the environmental authority in accordance with the National Policy for Integrated Water Resource Management - PNGIRH and the National Water Resource Monitoring Program.

Water planning

During 2023, Ecopetrol continued monitoring the basin management processes. We have interest in 111 hydrographic, of which 42 have an approved POMCA, ten (10) are in the stage of formulation, three (3) are in the publicity stage and 59 have not yet been ordered, that is, they have not been prioritized by environmental authorities for POMCA formulation. It is important to note that the POMCAS being environmental instruments of superior hierarchy are considered in the planning and environmental feasibility processes.

In addition, Ecopetrol is part of eight (8) river basin councils: Sogamoso, Opón, Cocorná, Lebrija Medio, Guavio, Cusiana and Negro.

During 2023, National working groups on POMCAS topics were not held; however, working groups focused on Wetlands with the Ministry of Environment, ACP, and ANLA were developed to identify how environmental licensing information can contribute to their identification and characterization. In addition, phase 3 of the study conducted by Ecopetrol, titled "Methodological Proposal for the Delimitation of Wetlands at a 1:25,000 Scale," which is part of the national proposal at a 1:100,000 scale (Version 3 of the Wetlands Map of Colombia, MDAS, February 2021), was completed.

Additionally, guidelines were developed to include Environmental and Territorial Planning in the Environmental Feasibility Diagnosis, as well as guidelines to include Environmental and Territorial Planning in the processes of formulating environmental licensing studies.

Water Footprint

Ecopetrol uses the water footprint methodology in direct operation assets based on the ISO 14046:2014 standard and the Water Footprint Network WFN, which allows to identify impacts and demonstrate the benefits of reducing the pressure on water resources, due to the implementation of actions related to operational efficiency in water management, and decarbonization and circular economy initiatives. Likewise, based on the analysis of the indirect water footprint, those raw materials that contribute the most to the impact have been identified, as well as those suppliers of goods and services that could adopt initiatives to reduce the risks associated with water.

This methodology is based on the following impact indicators:

1. Consumption footprint: extracted fresh water that evaporates, incorporates into the product, or is not returned to the basin.
2. Water scarcity footprint: impact of water consumption with respect to available fresh water.
3. Degradation footprint: deterioration of the quality of fresh water due to the contribution of polluting substances. This footprint also allows the identification of priority substances in discharges*, through the indicators of:

• Human toxicity: based on the USEtox model, it evaluates the danger of wastewater discharges in terms of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic toxicity for humans (CTUh)
• Ecotoxicity in freshwater: based on the USEtox model, it evaluates various toxicological mechanisms caused by the release of substances with a direct effect on the health of the ecosystem in (CTUe).
• Ecotoxicity of seawater: based on the Recipe model.
• Acidification of fresh water: based on the Accumulated Surplus AE model, it evaluates the affectation of fresh water due to the release into the atmosphere of NOx, SOx and NH3 that could cause acid rainwater.

In 2023 ICONTEC carried out the verification process of water footprint calculation and reporting in 10 directly operated assets of Ecopetrol; these include the Castilla, Chichimene, Akacias, Rubiales, Caño Sur, Cusiana, Cupiagua, and Floreña assets, as well as the Cartagena and Barrancabermeja refineries, for the years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and/or 2022, declaring compliance with the requirements established by the NTC-ISO 14046 standard. This allows Ecopetrol to maintain its leadership in the Oil & Gas sector for the second consecutive year in verifying its water footprint.

Water management in the supply chain

Based on the analysis of the categories of goods and services that are most relevant to water management, and the results of the water footprint calculation in Ecopetrol's directly operated assets, adjustments were made to the requirements established in the Environmental Sustainability Guidelines for the Procurement Process. The procurement instruments related to water neutrality should only apply to activities that have intensive use of water in industrial activities.

Therefore, the following categories of goods and services were prioritized:

• Chemical Supply
• Drilling, Completion, and Subsurface Services (in cases where water, fuel, energy, and/or inputs consumption must be reported)
• Drilling Rigs (in cases where water, fuel, energy, and/or inputs consumption must be reported)
• Supply of Steel Pipe
• Waste Management
• Supply of Other Goods (Raw Materials)
  • Cement
  • Barite
  • Calcium Carbonate
  • Chemicals

It is important to highlight that the volumes of withdrawals and consumptions of water by suppliers that provide services at Ecopetrol facilities are included in figures reported by the company. Similarly, the management of discharges generated by these suppliers is carried out through the company's treatment and disposal alternatives for wastewater.

The suppliers of goods and services that carry out operations outside Ecopetrol facilities, the information is being collected to estimate water consumption and some aspects related to water degradation in its operations.

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