Government Bashing

MommC

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Have you heard what INAPA is doing. At least in our neck of the woods. Let me explain that we live near the coast. The wells collect ground water mixed with salt water that seeps through the coral. It is also very contaminated (last check 800ppm fecal coliform.) Many in our area have refused to pay INAPA for water usage until we have potable water....so........this is what INAPA has started doing.
They were just coming, disconnecting pumps.(haha...we just reconnect them after they leave). Now they are coming into the campo with a flat bed trailer with bulldozer and a dump truck with stone. They unload the bulldozer, pick up a load of stone from the dump truck and dump in down the well (pump and all) and bulldoze over the top.
So now the people don't have filthy, semi-salty water to wash clothes and floors and dishes.....they don't have any water at all!!!
Is this democracy??????
Sounds like it 's worse the Truillo days to me (sorry I wasn't around then but I don't think the dictator cut off water whatever else he did do!!)
This government is out to steal all it can before the next election and from what I've heard most people who voted them in will vote for them again because they still believe in Santa Claus and still are hoping that Hippo will deliver on his promise to give "free" money to the poor.
Who knows- if the poor start paying for the above mentioned water maybe he will??!!??
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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INAPA, like all of the govenment dependencies is run by improvised bureaucrats that are out to line their pockets.
You are getting the rough end of the stick...

And wait until they charge you for reconnections!!

Having just waited out the fourth blackout in the past 24 hours, I can hope that these idioces of the current governing group will foster a huge reaction in May. Perhaps if they see that the people are very pissed off they "might" do something positive.

HB= which means here->Hippolito Basher
 

MommC

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Power Blackouts

We're serviced by AES...no government involvement and blackouts aren't as bad as they used to be under CDE however we still have 'em. AES says it's because they are losing so much every month due to the "illegal" connections so they are doing random blackouts in areas that have the most "illegal" connections.
As an AES employee told us "We've improved a lot over CDE, but not that much!!" 8-]
I'm in dispute with them right now.....we only live here 3-5 1/2 months of the year. Before I leave I go to the office, tell them we will be gone for 6 months, and arrange to pay the minimum (14 $RD/m) while we are away. I leave money with a friend who pays my bill. This year (as every year for the past 12 yrs) the day I left my "factura" increased monthly by 200 pesos. We've been trying to get our credit since arriving in Jan. We've been to the office many times, three x with passport in hand to show we were gone. They keep "losing" our paperwork and keep saying "pay this month and we'll get the problem resolved before the next billin".
We keep saying:" You owe us a credit of $RD5000. I'm not paying! Resolve the problem!"
 

mondongo

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Jan 1, 2002
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MommC, HB

Your stories make my blood boil...and i dont even live in the DR ...I have a couple questions that will reveal my ignorance on today's life in the DR:

MommC: the water pumps you mention that are being bulldozed...are those pumps owned by the govt or by private citizens? Are the water wells you talk about near your property or are they big centralized wells with water piped over to each neighborhood?

MommC,HB: what is INAPA and what powers do they officially have? Can a private citizen dig his/her own water well as many people do here in the USA? It would appear to me that given all the rain the DR gets, prospecting for underground water would be a snap.


thanks for your time,
mondongo
 

MommC

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They are privately owned pumps in wells dug privately, close to individual residences. We went to INAPA (gov.t dept overseeing water resources) last year to protest being charged for water that comes from a well we dug (contaminated as it is-even took a nice green sample with us) and were handed with the legislation governing subterranean water which says all citizens must pay for the use of water resources,above or below ground.
So to answer your question - yes private wells can be dug but if you have an electric pump pulling waer from them you have to pay for the use of the water even tho' the well is on your land, you paid to have it dug, you paid for the pump, and you pay for the power to run the pump. If you use a bucket to lift the water from the well by hand you don't have to pay. (Also if you're Dominican you don't pay or if you have "potable" water from an aquaduct and are Dominican, you don't pay!!).
And please don't say don't let them onto your property because they come with the police and throw you in jail if you resist (happened to a friend of ours).
 

mondongo

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Jan 1, 2002
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filtering water, et al

Questions for all DR inhabitants: how much does the govt charge for water? Is there a legal different rate for Dominicans and foreigners? If you wanted to have your water filtered, how much of an expense is that?

Clean water is a bare necessity for any life form. I would like to know how efficient the well drilling and water purification process is in the DR. If the quality of life is to improve, there is hardly a better place to start than trying to figure out a way to provide clean water. Would you be able to get cleaner water if your well was dug deeper? What percentage of the population drinks the polluted water? Do they boil it?

Sorry for all the questions...but i am really interested in this topic

mondongo
 

MommC

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As for difference in rate- supposedly theres no difference. In reality in SanPedro with "potable" aquaduct water my friends don't pay. In Juan D"olio the indigenous people don't pay....the "foreigners" do!!
Filtering alone won't purify the water, at least not ours. It must be clorinated also and/or treated with UV. Gets expensive.
Drilling deeper is not an option where we are....flood basalt under the coral and no high pressure drillers like in Canada & US. If you can find one VERY expensive!!
A high percentage of the population collect rainwater to drink & cook or uses the well water without purification. Their bodies have built up resistance to the "contaminants" from birth. It would kill you or I.
We pay RD$1200 per month for 16 apts.
 

Tom F.

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Jan 1, 2002
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water is an important issue

I have heard about INAPA coming in a charging people for privately dug wells. Everyone I know who has their own well does not pay the water company.

I have participated in developing community water systems using solar electricity and a basic system which can provide adequate water for 100 rural families usually runs around US$20,000. The planning and organizing, drilling, installing the pump and power source, building a storage tank, running the pvc to the tank and distributing it to communal use facets is generally the process. Setting up a maintanence program and minimal billing is important in keeping the system working. This is hard work and doesn't really address the issue of proper filtration. There are many areas where you can't tap into decent water. In the NW high concentrations of salt can be found as far south as El Partido (It's desert, so the salt seeps in much further in the water table). The area around Punta Rusia is another extremely difficult place to find good water. With enough resourses the ideal situation would be to pump it is from a source up in the mountains. The probem is the number of people who live there, the income generated in the area, and the high cost of transporting water.

As far as depth, most people can hit a good water table from 100-150 feet. I have heard of people in the capital going down 300 feet to hit water. Most people can't afford to invest thousands of dollars for their own system.
 

mondongo

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Tom F.

very good, Tom. glad to see you have made a difference. $20,000 sounds like a lot to drill a well. Was this expensive because of the water distribution lines to be put in? were you able to get the locals to provide cheap or even free labor? was the equipement leasing/rental the expensive part?

MommC: do you have any more details on the under sink filtration system you use? is there a website where I can get more info on that filtration system?

thanks, mondongo
 
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Kiko67

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Mar 20, 2002
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Idiots

It's funny to see how quick Dominicans forget, they get screwed time and time again by the same government officials and they keep electing them. How stupid can people be? As for the current government, Tu Queria PRD, TOma PRD.
 

Paul Thate

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Jan 11, 2002
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water filter

http://www.wedecouv.com/index.html
this is the website of the system i use.
i use two carbon filters of 5 mircrons plus the UV light
water taste better then the bottled stuff you buy here.

re your earlier question i pay 200 pesos a months.
they ccome to your house count the taps
and make up a contract.
i guess its a very subjective system.



mondongo said:
very good, Tom. glad to see you have made a difference. $20,000 sounds like a lot to drill a well. Was this expensive because of the water distribution lines to be put in? were you able to get the locals to provide cheap or even free labor? was the equipement leasing/rental the expensive part?

MommC: do you have any more details on the under sink filtration system you use? is there a website where I can get more info on that filtration system?

thanks, mondongo
 

CES

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water filters

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MommC

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Mar 2, 2002
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Sheesh.....I had the da*n box ...now where is it??

Ok...It's a "RainFresh" system...Effective on both municipal and untreated water.Unique 3 stage filtering process uses replaceable Activated Carbon Catridge and silver impregnated, cleanable,reusable Ceramic csrtridge.-Traps and kills disease causing bacteria,coliforms,faecal coliforms and other organisms.-Traps cysts(Giardia lamblia,Cryptosporidium)-Reduces pesticides(measured as lindane),clorine,offensive tastes and odours.- Filters sediment,silt,rust,asbestos and other suspended solids to sub-micron level. -Leaves flouride and essential minerals in the water. Important-If water supply contains excessive sediment of algae install a Rainfresh Dirt/Rust filter on main water supply.
Comes with a five year warranty....made in Canada.

Envirogard Products Limited
P.O.Box 64, Richmond Hill,Ontario Canada, L4C 4X9

Help line 1-800-667-8072

Sold by both Canadian Tire Corp and Walmart.......should be able to find it on their websites......

Hope this help Mondongo....Now you know as much as I do!!! hehehe
 

MAME AND ED

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Jan 13, 2002
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WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE ... from ED

"Hillbilly" (Luis) referred me to your post "Bashing Government."
He realizes that I have the knowledge and the ability to correct the water situation on well water at individual homes and wells. My biggest concern is "fighting the government." I can bring in all well water and sea water down to sero parts per million with no problem at all, but, if the government would fight me and/or condemn fresh water in wells -- I mean potable -- then without the cooperation of the government (that is, them preferring to sell THEIR water) and condemns other systems, it wouldn't be feasible for me to take an interest in it. But, if there's a way to get around the government --and they would accept my system(s), then I would certainly be very interested !! It would be reasonable as far as cost, and it would be much better water than the government's water! I would need more information on govt restrictions and their specifications on potable water and I would guarantee 0 parts per million from 30,000 parts per million to 300 parts per million. If the govt is going to condemn my system(s) so that it can sell its water, then it would be useless for me to even think about venturing into this situation. Maybe if and when the govt changes (?), we could provide potable water all over the country - no problemo! What a pity that the technology of reverse osmosis (my thing) is not used world wide!!
Will look forward to any feedback from anyone. -Ed-
 

MommC

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I think reverse osmosis is Great!

The question is ....is it affordable????
We have a building with sixteen apartments. How much would it cost to put in a system to provide us with "drinkable water????
 

mondongo

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Jan 1, 2002
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ED and MAME

Hi and thank you for your post. I am a dominican born US resisdent who wants to do something for his country. The topic of water was brought up and I thought that there is really no better way to improve the quality of life than to bring about cheap, healthy water to as many dominicans as possible. can you describe your water drilling/filtration system and how much it costs and for how many people it is designed? since i dont live in the DR, i dont know about these anti-comtetitive tactics you mention. what it is that the DR govt actually prevents you from doing?


mondongo
 

jruggeri

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Mar 24, 2002
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INAPA

where is this happening exactly? I am reporting on deadline (tomorrow) a story about INAPA and the funding they receive to get more potable water to rural areas - any further information you'd be willing to share would be a great help.
thanks!
 

MommC

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Ask Hippolito!

And all the other gov't officials that are lining their pockets at the Dominican peoples expense. Just don't expect any answers from INAPA....it comes down to you gotta pay-whether you have "safe" water or contaminated water!