Onpeco urges stronger measures to guarantee drinking water amid drought

Santo Domingo.- Onpeco urged Dominican authorities to strengthen measures to guarantee safe, sufficient and accessible drinking water amid drought conditions and declining flows in sources supplying potable water systems.

The National Observatory for Consumer Protection warned that the situation goes beyond a supply issue, as it also affects public health, consumer protection and national water security.

The organization called on health authorities to increase oversight of the production, packaging, storage, transportation and sale of water for human consumption, stressing that consumers have the right to trust that products labeled as potable meet required health standards. It also recommended regular inspections and the publication of their results, with swift action against non-compliant products.

Onpeco urged CAASD, INAPA and other water-supply institutions to take measures to preserve service, particularly in communities most affected by declining water sources.

It further called for greater protection of rivers, streams, forests, watersheds, water sources and groundwater recharge areas, emphasizing that conserving water must go hand in hand with protecting the sources that provide it.

Onpeco said the current drought should be used to accelerate long-term water security policies, rather than relying solely on emergency measures during periods of low rainfall. It stressed that the State must guarantee water quality and availability, while citizens have a responsibility to use the resource efficiently and prevent waste and contamination.

“The water we waste today may be the water we need tomorrow,” the organization concluded.