This is what I don't fully understand on many things in the DR: It has been reported frequently that places such as Perla Marina or even many other touristic/expat locations in the NC suffer from lack of water (!!!) and apagones. I believe windeguy reports this frequently from Cabarete as well.
I have seen the same happening in the city of POP. There are many locations on the hill side of Av Manolo Tavarez Justo (so climbing up) that are often without water. This despite the fact that I seriously doubt there is lack of payment on any of these areas. Then again, areas where I'm positive people perhaps don't even pay for their water, there is no problem with water.
If expats/tourists/snowbirds/whatever want to spend weeks/months/years in the DR, why leave them without water/electricity and therefore do negative promotion? As my quoted post also said, this cannot be due to lack of funds/revenue. Yes, stupidity/incompetence/whatever it can be, but how would someone be that stupid to turn away revenue for the country? Just by leaving them without water?
So again, areas where everyone for sure pays for their utilities, are left without, and where people don't pay, are not left without?