More than 10,000 inhabitants of the Atalaya district have been facing a severe water crisis for several weeks, a problem that, according to local authorities, has been dragging on for over 40 years. It is only now that an urgent solution is being sought to guarantee the supply of drinking water. The national government moved to the district to meet with the affected community at the Juan José Cánovas school. Participants included the President of the National Assembly, Jorge Herrera; the Deputy General Director of IDAAN, Luis Alberto Santanach; a delegation from the Ministry of the Presidency; the governor of Veraguas, Hildemarta Riera; the parish priest of Atalaya, Marcelino González, and other officials from President José Raúl Mulino's government. During the meeting, residents like Jácome Pinzón exposed the difficult situation they are living. Hundreds of families must seek drinking water in other communities, as the supply has not reached their homes for several months. "Here there is an entire community tired of living without water. It is a basic need that has not been resolved for decades," expressed Pinzón. Mayor Tomás Robles stated that the inhabitants have proposals for new projects in the district, but warned that none will be viable if the supply of drinking water is not guaranteed first. IDAAN authorities presented a short-term plan that includes the installation of a new water transmission line from the Inter-American Highway in Santiago to Atalaya, along with a tank and pumping plants to improve the distribution of the resource. Governor Hildemarta Riera highlighted that the project could begin in the coming days, with the expectation of stabilizing the water supply while more comprehensive solutions for the community are analyzed.
