43-million-gallon-per-day deficit affects water supply in Santiago due to high turbidity

Santiago.- The Santiago Aqueduct and Sewerage Corporation (Coraasan) reported that the drinking water system is currently operating with a deficit of 43 million gallons per day, due to the high turbidity in the catchment sources caused by climatic conditions, which keeps several aqueducts operating intermittently. The entity’s director, Andrés Cueto, explained that the dragging of sediments in the tributaries has affected production in multiple water treatment plants, impacting the supply in different sectors of the province. However, he indicated that the Cibao Central aqueduct, recently rehabilitated, is operating normally and has partially mitigated the shortage in interconnected areas. Cueto detailed that the Tavera-Bao reservoir is located at 323.09 meters above sea level, while brigades continue to monitor the conditions of the rivers to restore service as soon as the turbidity decreases.

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Among the affected plants are Nibaje, La Barranquita, Las Charcas, La Canela, Cienfuegos, Villa González, as well as Inoa and Amina, in San José de las Matas, according to the director of Aqueducts, Elwin Rodríguez. In parallel, the deputy director of the National Institute of Potable Water and Sewers (INAPA), Ericsson Peralta, pointed out that the systems in Jánico, Hato del Yaque and Pedro García remain out of operation, which aggravates the situation in those communities. Likewise, the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INDRHI) indicated that the Monsieur Bogaert and Ulises Francisco Espaillat canals are operating at reduced capacity as a preventive measure to protect their infrastructure from current conditions. As an immediate response, Coraasan has deployed distribution operations using tanker trucks to supply the most affected sectors, while the authorities urge the population to make rational use of water. The regional director of the Environment, Winston Velásquez, called on citizens to avoid the contamination of rivers and streams, reminding that these constitute the main source of supply for the aqueducts. The institutions assured that the situation responds exclusively to climatic factors and that they are working in a coordinated manner to normalize the service in the shortest possible time.