From water shortage to black water floods

After the long dry season water drought, with scores of thousands of Panama’s citizens without water, the city now has an excess, and it’s “black.”

That’s a local euphemism  for sanitary drainage overflow, which is pouring into streets from San Miguelito to Punta Pacifica, Paitilla and Bella Vista,

As the fouls smelling residue fills roads and sidewalks, IDAAN the country’s water  and sewage authority, is trying to respond to over 40 calls a day {ja thumbnail off}

Health authorities have warned of associated health problems, and the blame is laid on  the lack of culture in those causing obstruction by stuff they throw into the drains.  But construction companies have also been blamed for washing concrete and garbage into the sewer system, and the city is suffering from a lack ofdrainage infrastructure. In many areas, drains were built to service one or two story single family homes. The homes have been replaced by skyscrapers housing sometimes hundreds of apartments.