Santo Domingo. – With a view to continue improving the distribution of drinking water, President Luis Abinader led a supervisory visit this Sunday to the expansion works of the Eastern Aqueduct Barrera de Salinidad and Trasvase to Santo Domingo Norte, which will add 45 million gallons per day to Santo Domingo Este, for 33% more than it currently receives.
Also, the water distributed to Santo Domingo Norte will increase by 50%.
The progress of the work exceeds 70% in its second stage, and by the end of 2025, the corresponding tests would be carried out to start operations in January 2026.
The project contemplates increasing the aqueduct’s production capacity to 6 cubic meters per second (m³/s) and ensuring efficiency in the production, distribution, and storage of drinking water. The investment exceeds USD 150 million.
The main components, such as the intake, pumping systems, pipeline, regulating tanks and infrastructure of the treatment module will be completed during the year, likewise the distribution macro-network will be completed and the technical details of the new module will be finalized, including the metal structure and the electrification system.
Other solutions
To this, President Abinader added that by 2026, 2 cubic meters will be added to the Valdesia aqueduct; as well as the start of a tender for a 10 cubic meter aqueduct in Hatillo, “which would be the solution, for a decade, to Greater Santo Domingo.”
Regarding this, the director of the Caasd, Fellito Suberví, described it as “an act of responsibility of our President” to start a project that, although it will not be completed during his term in office, will adapt the national system of drinking water distribution to meet the demands of a rapidly growing city.
13 new Economic Dining Halls
Subsequently, the head of state simultaneously inaugurated 13 new Economic Dining Halls located in different communities of the country, bringing quality food to thousands of families living in vulnerable conditions, which greatly improves their quality of life.
With these new units, President Abinader’s government completes the goal of 159 Economic Dining Halls installed throughout the country during these five years, signifying an increase of over 300%.
The beneficiary communities are Sabana Yegua and Guayabal in Azua; Guayubín in Montecristi; Partido in Dajabón; Guaymate in La Romana; Fondo Negro, Fundación and Arroyo Dulce in Barahona; Clavellina and El Palmar in Bahoruco; José Francisco Peña Gómez in Pedernales; Sabana Grande de Palenque in San Cristóbal; and Guachupita in the National District, as well as a kitchen set up in the General Directorate of Migration for detained foreigners.
The inauguration took place at the headquarters of that institution, located in Los Minas, Santo Domingo East.
The general director of the Economic Dining Halls, Edgar Félix, stated that as of today, more than 54 million cooked rations are served annually, in addition to the programs for the distribution of raw rations and emergency kits that reach the most vulnerable sectors in situations of calamity or natural disasters, which is why they have become a national food security network, with coverage in all provinces of the country and a presence in neighborhoods and communities where public food services did not previously exist.
