Dominican capital’s problem isn’t water, it’s the pipes, official says

Santo Domingo.- Santo Domingo Water Utility (CAASD) directorAlejandro Montas on Thursday said Danilo Medina’s next administration willprioritize water resources.

He said the priority on water over the next four years isn’tjust for drinking water, but in general "seeing it as a matter of socialprofitability because without water, there’s no health, no development."

He said the CAASD has broken all current water production recordsduring tis 43 years surpassing 427 million gallons, but acknowledged that the mainsdon’t reach everywhere.

He said access to drinking water elsewhere such as theoutskirts of Greater Santo Domingo is being done with rebuilt wells, which willadd 10 million gallons to the system in the coming days. "The Valdesia systemis being rehabilitated and is working under optimal conditions, which means anefficient service in the National District and province Santo Domingo."

Montas said the CAASD’s problem isn’t water but the grid, forwhich the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) recommended replacing GreaterSanto Domingo’s networks, but which also requires a large investment.