social services

Santiago residents thirsty

Problems at a plant have left half the population without water service.

Víctor Eliseo Rodríguez/LA PRENSA

BAND-AID FIX: The national water company opened several wells to supply water in Santiago until service can be restored.1120741

A damaged suction pump at the national water company's purifying plant early Tuesday reduced its capacity to 60 percent, leaving half of the 70 ,000 residential and commercial end-users in Santiago without a drop of drinking water for at least two days.

The areas most affected included La Alameda, San Vicente, Verdum, La Primavera, La Gloria, La Felicidad, El Prado, and all townships in the Edwin Fábrega district. After two days without water, the situation was exacerbated yesterday, affecting additional sectors of the Canto del Llano y San Martín districts.

Silvano Camarena, a resident of La Estrella, complained that his neighborhood was without water for five days, adding that central and southern sectors of Santiago have been victim to water shortages throughout the entire year.

In response to the thousands of complaints submitted, Marcelo Tristan, director of the water company's Veraguas branch, informed that the damaged pump had been partially repaired, but then broke again.

He assured residents that the repair crew was working around the clock and that the problem should be resolved by today.

In the midst of this water crisis, temporary wells were opened on Montijo road and on the water company's premises, allowing residents to access water in the interim until the damaged pump is brought back on line.