Senator demands action over pollution in Hatillo Dam

Santo Domingo.- Senator Ricardo de los Santos, representative of Sánchez Ramírez, expressed concern over contamination recently detected in the waters of the Hatillo Dam.

The legislator reported that he was present during water sampling conducted by the Institute of Microbiology of UASD, alongside geologist Osiris de León, which confirmed the presence of fecal coliforms and cyanobacteria—clear indicators of contamination.

De los Santos noted that the reservoir has been in operation since 1984 and that sediment has accumulated for more than four decades due to the lack of cleaning at the tail end of the dam. He also recalled that following the closure of Rosario Dominicana in 1992, water entering the area showed high acidity levels, warning that although Falcondo’s operations are currently suspended, unresolved environmental liabilities may still be affecting the reservoir.

In response, a high-level commission led by the Ministry of Environment has been formed, with participation from INDRHI, the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Dominican Hydroelectric Generation Company (EGEHID), among other technical experts. The commission will investigate the sources of contamination and recommend corrective measures.

The senator stressed the need for individual studies of all tributaries feeding the lake and announced that cleanup work at the reservoir’s tail section will begin in the coming days. He reaffirmed his commitment to overseeing the process, underscoring the dam’s strategic importance for agriculture and water supply in downstream communities.