BRIEFS. environment

Measures taken to stop river contamination

David Mesa/la prensa

tainted: The Chilibre River is visibly contaminated by the amount of waste flowing in from industries and local urbanizations. 994396

Authorities from the Ministerio de Salud (Minsa) in San Miguelito, Las Cumbres and Chilibre are "well aware" of the ecological damage caused to the Chilibre River, said Minsa’s regional director Sergio Pérez.

Staff from the department of Saneamiento Ambiental are constantly checking on the area to ensure that the situation is not deteriorating.

Pérez explained that despite the efforts of the Saneamiento Ambiental, some people still install sewage pipes that discharge waste into the river, and some industries continue to contaminate the water. He said that when this occurs, fines are imposed and actions taken to reverse the damage.

A 2006 study from the Autoridad del Canal de Panamá (ACP) revealed that the basin of the Chilibre and the Chilibrillo rivers "have high levels of microbiological contamination."

The study was aimed at updating the environmental information from the perspective of the people living in the area, so that programs to improve the water quality might be initiated in a timely manner.