The president of the northern region chapter of the Dominican Teachers’ Association (CMD), Manases Pena, has warned that the decision by the Santiago Aqueducts and Sewers Corporation (Coraasan), to distribute water to homes using trucks, due to the serious drought, could provoke a surge of infectious diseases unless the distribution is accompanied by a public education program.
Yesterday, Monday 29 September 2014, local people and community organizations in Baitoa and other areas in the south of Santiago took to the streets in protest at the lack of water.
Water levels in the Tavera-Bao dam have fallen drastically and Coraasan has decided to start delivering water to the worst affected areas using tanker trucks. Pena stresses that these deliveries should be accompanied by an educational campaign to explain that users must keep the water storage areas clean and use bleach if an increase in dengue and chikungunya cases is to be prevented.
He also pointed out that the water in the trucks was unlikely to be of good quality and that families should be told not to use it for drinking.
http://www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2014/9/30/339616/Advierten-que-repartir-agua-en-camiones-puede-afectar-la-salud