To deal with water crises, Government must build more dams

Santo Domingo.- The government’s medium and long term plans toconserve water for human consumption and agriculture must include constructionof more dams, ponds, and reconstruction of reservoirs and irrigation canals.

Dominican MilkProducers Association (Aproleche) president Eric Rivero and Agribusiness Board CEOOsmar Benitez agree that authorities should find ways to conserve water and confrontclimate change, which they blame for the drought across the country.

Rivero said new damswill not only conserve water but also supply energy and ensure supply to farms.He said despite that the current drought was forecast since last year, theauthorities "did little to address it."

Change of model

Benitez said thegovernment needs to spend on new dams, micro dams, ponds, reservoirs and other waysto stora water.

He said farms areas inPeravia, Azua and San Juan provinces (south) need to build at least 10 giant reservoirs,five in the northwest, and others in the east region.

Benitez also urgedthe government to work with farmers and banks to fund change from the normalirrigation model into a pressurized or drip system.