2013News

Water is expensive

According to the head of INAPA, the National Institute for Water and Sewers, Alberto Holguin, it costs between US$2,000 and US$3,000 to get water to a house and to do this for the entire country would cost between US$4 and US$7 billion. Holguin told El Caribe reporters that the goal for the Dominican Republic is 100% coverage by 2020. He pointed out that according to international standards, which indicate that if there is water available within a kilometer of the house or living quarters you are considered to have access to clean water, then the Dominican Republic has 98.7% coverage. However, if access is inside the house or living quarters, then the percentage falls to 46.3% and if a faucet in the patio is considered access, then the number goes to 67%. Holguin notes that the existence of the faucet does not necessarily mean that there is water in the pipes. The INAPA director says that they will be satisfied when there is water in the faucets in the homes or in the patios.