“With cries to heaven”: residents of Los Alcarrizos denounce power outages and water shortages
LOS ALCARRIZOS – Residents of the Las Glorias, Los Cerros, Residencial Pablo, Mella and Pueblo Nuevo sectors denounced this Sunday the prolonged interruptions of the electrical service and the shortage of drinking water that, they claim, have been affecting hundreds of families in that area for months.
Community members explained that the power outages occur regularly from 9:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., making it difficult for residents to rest and causing economic losses for small businesses.
Gustavo Pérez, owner of a small grocery store, stated that the power outages, combined with the high temperatures, have caused the deterioration of goods that require refrigeration.
“Our products that need refrigeration are spoiling due to the lack of energy,” he said.
Adding to this problem is the lack of potable water. Residents of Las Glorias stated that they have been receiving irregular service for more than seven months.
They indicated that in the upper part of the sector water practically does not arrive, while in the lower area the supply is offered only once or twice a week and for a few hours.
Faced with the shortage, many families have been forced to buy water from tanker trucks, which cost between RD$2,000 and RD$2,500, an expense they consider unsustainable for their budgets.
“The inverters are down, the heat is unbearable, and the mosquitoes have us cornered. We can’t sleep,” the community members stated.
Mercedes Cruz, a resident of the area, said that every night she faces the same difficulties when returning from her workday.
“Every day I get home at 10 pm, after a long day at work, and I find there’s no electricity. Between the blackouts, the lack of water, the mosquitoes, and the heat, I feel like I never get any rest,” he said.
Community leaders called on the authorities to intervene urgently and guarantee the stability of both services.
“We demand respect for our right to receive electricity and drinking water. We are tired of promises and we need solutions,” they concluded.
