Bioethical issues related to the principle of utility in the residential consumption of drinking water in Colombia

Abstract

This research seeks to investigate bioethical issues related to the principle of utility in the residential consumption of drinking water in Colombia. The analysis is carried out using the hermeneutic analysis method. The research highlights the influence of the tariff policies implemented between 1994 and 2021, which have depended on the management of the Government, the efficiency of water supply companies, and the freedom of decision-making. The results show, among others, that: the tariff policy has rationalized basic water consumption in vulnerable populations, but with a clear regressive trend; the principle of utility prioritizes financial sufficiency over considerations of efficiency and equity; the cost-benefit analysis adds a moral dimension to the principle of utility, being a basic instrument for increases in water coverage; the high IANC non-billed water index shows the economic inefficiency of the tariff policy, overshadowing the ethical and bioethical considerations evidenced. Bioethics of protection is recommended as an addendum to the Tariff Policy, aimed at universalizing water service for the benefit of the most vulnerable population. HIGHLIGHTS Inefficient billing and regressive tariffs by Colombian water companies create a balance issue.; Colombian drinking water regulations fail to ensure quality or defend user rights.; Technical and economic biases overshadow ethical and bioethical considerations, impacting coverage and quality.; High rates of unaccounted for water harm vulnerable populations, violating dignity, and human rights in bioethics.;

Keywords

• bioethics
• cost–benefit analysis
• efficiency
• residential drinking water consumption
• tariff policy
• utility principle