The lack of tap water has become critical in several areas near the nation’s second-largest city, Santiago de los Caballeros. Some of the neighboring towns, such as the cigar manufacturing city of Tamboril, which depends on Santiago for its water supply, have gone some two weeks without a reliable supply. The main 20-inch pipeline to Tamboril suffered a major break and the Santiago Water and Sewer Corporation (Coraasan) is working to repair the pipes.
In the southern and southeastern parts of the large city, the residents say that they are only receiving water for a few hours once a week.
One of the transformers at the Lopez Angostura pumping station burned out and the electricity went out over a wide area, stopping the water pumps as well. In Coraasan, the city water corporation that manages the pumping station and the transformers, the question is whether or not to switch out the damaged transformer. It would imply a tender, purchase, delivery and installation, all of which would take a good deal of time.
In nearby Moca, the provincial capital of Espaillat province, the situation is quite similar, but due more to mechanical and electrical problems than to breaks in the pipelines. The Coraamoca water corporation calls for the population to save water. Tank trucks are used to bring in water from Santiago.
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El Caribe
6 September 2020