Panama Drinking Water Problems in Don Bosco are Getting Worse
The site has been compromised for over eight months
Access to drinking water in the Don Bosco district has been compromised for more than eight months due to leaking pipelines, impacting the supply for thousands of residents in this area of the capital. Residents have reported that these leaks are occurring in more than 135 locations within the district, causing considerable inconvenience by reducing drinking water pressure and, in some areas, causing interruptions in the supply for hours. “This problem has been going on since January of this year. IDAAN is assisting and checking, but not solving the situation,” commented one resident, who added that several people have suffered accidents due to the mud accumulating on the sidewalks, forcing them to expose themselves to risk when walking in the street.
“The most worrying thing is that the invoices arrive on time, but the service and problem resolution are still lacking,” the affected person continued. Don Bosco representative Pier Janson indicated that for several months, the Community Board staff has been trying to locate the Idaan crew at its Cerro Azul office to address the problem; however, the institution lacks the necessary personnel to offer a more efficient solution. “The Idaan only has three crews and one vehicle to address the leaks in six districts of the capital city; this is inadequate to resolve the situation. Drinking water is being wasted, and there are high-altitude areas like Bello Horizonte that lack a supply around the clock,” the representative explained. Janson called on the National Government to provide a larger budget for IDAAN, which would provide it with the financial and human resources necessary to address these issues.
