ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the role of Findeter (Financiera de Desarrollo Territorial or Territorial Development Financial Institution), a national development bank, in financing Colombia’s Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) sector. Based on primary and secondary sources, it provides a brief history of public banking and public water provision in Colombia. The chapter focuses on Findeter’s relationship with water operators, including its loan programmes and spatial investment patterns, highlighting Findeter’s response during the COVID-19 pandemic, where it provided critical direct credit lines to alleviate the financial strain on water operators. Despite these efforts, significant challenges persist, notably the disparity in access to drinking water between urban and rural areas. The chapter suggests that development banks like Findeter could play a vital role in realizing the human right to water by supporting community-based water management and addressing climate change. Finally, it concludes with reflections on future research directions.
