Mobile pools pit Santo Domingo’s Mayor, wannabe

Santo Domingo.- Santo Domingo mayor Roberto Salcedo’s plan to install 12 giant mobile pools along the oceanfront (Malecon) during the Easter holiday drew the immediate rebuke from the Water utility (CAASD) director on Friday, who noted the nationwide drought.

Alejandro Montas, who has announced another bid for the ruling PLD party Mayor nomination, questioned Salcedo’s plan announced Thursday, just three days after the CAASD ordered strict water rationing to deal with the drought.

"Water is important, just as important as culture and recreation," Montas said via Twitter.

Just as it did last year City Hall plans to use 360,000 gallons of water to convert a stretch of the Malecon into a "resort" with pools placed in front of the plaza at Güibia beach, including truckloads of sand.

Salcedo said each pool holds 7,500 gallons of water, which will be changed every day.