The government’s plan is for Colombians to use the least amount of water and electricity possible.

The Colombian government decided to follow Ecuador’s lead and declared this Friday as a civic day to encourage citizens to use the least amount of water and energy possible, “so that we can conserve the energy we need in the coming days and, above all, so that people reduce their consumption of drinking water in large cities,” said President Gustavo Petro.

He clarified that the measure “is not to stop drinking water, but to drink it in a different place where there is water stress.”

Declaring the civic day has a greater impact on the public sector, as these entities are obliged to give the day off to their employees. It also includes schools and universities across the country.

According to the decree published by the government, one of the arguments is that “the country is facing an aggravation of climate emergency… which has prolonged our dry season and demands taking actions and measures to avoid further impacts, such as energy rationing, permanent cuts to drinking water supply, or reduced irrigation in the crops of our fields.” Petro argued that this decision will allow “us to substantially, rather marginally to be exact, increase the levels of drinking water reservoirs in the Sabana de Bogotá,” as well as in other cities where levels are at their lowest point in history.

It is worth noting that earlier this week, Ecuador’s President, Daniel Noboa, declared an emergency in the energy sector and requested the resignation of the minister in charge, Andrea Arrobo, as the country suffers from multiple power outages.