The timing couldn’t be worse. As families gathered for the traditional Christmas holidays, a water pipeline dating from the 1970s burst and left much of the southern part of the city of Santiago de los Caballeros without any water. This latest breakdown affects Bella Vista, Reparto Peralta, Barrio Nuevo, Los Castillo, La Yaguita, Pastor, La Otra Banda, Tolentino and Villa Progreso and Villa Liberacion. The latest episode of the Santiago water pipeline system also damaged several homes along the Fernando Bermudez Street.
Santiago’s aqueduct needs a major overhaul. The current water system of Santiago is dated and mainly conducted through pipes made of asbestos cement. Most of the main water pipes were installed 40 plus years ago by the Italian firm Italconsult. They were planned to last only 20-25 years.
The latest episode of the failing system also damaged several homes along the Fernando Bermudez Street.
On more than one occasion, the Santiago Water and Sewage Corporation (Coraasan) has stated that to correct the issues and provide water to the area, new pipes and even new routing is needed. The new proposal calls for four kilometers of pipes beginning in the sector of Pastor and crossing the Reparto Peralta before reaching the water tank at La Barranquita.
Coraasan says that they have been working for months on the evaluation, design and budget for the new water pipes. Gurabo and the Yapur Dumit areas recently were fitted with new pipes. Now it is more than evident that the area to the south of the Yaque River needs to be attended.
Read more in Spanish:
El Caribe
23 December 2019