Following the completion of pipe disinfection works in the district of Las Tablas, which affected the supply to all customers served by the Rufina Alfaro plant, the drinking water system sanitation plan now moves to the district of Chitré, one of the most densely populated areas in the province. The process will be carried out at the Roberto Reyna water treatment plant, which also supplies the district of Chitré, another of the sectors affected by river contamination that occurred approximately seven months ago. The regional director of IDAAN in Herrera, Yauruslaidis Ibarra, informed that the internal disinfection of the Roberto Reyna water treatment plant will be carried out this weekend, which will leave the entire population of the Chitré district, estimated at around 60,000 people, without a drinking water supply. Ibarra explained that as it is an internal process within the plant, once the works are completed and water supply to the lines is restored, which is expected to occur on Monday morning, the water can only be used for hygiene and personal cleaning tasks, reiterating that the water will continue to be unfit for human consumption. This will be until all phases of the sanitation process are completed and the certification from the Ministry of Health is obtained. Meanwhile, the population has been supplied with water at various points, including reserve tanks installed in strategic locations. They have also been provided with water through tanker trucks, especially in hospitals, health centers, and schools, specifically those hosting students undergoing revalidation exams. Ibarra indicated that coordination with other institutions has been carried out for this process, which is a beacon of hope, as over these past seven months, the residents of Chitré have faced one of the most difficult periods in terms of access to drinking water, adjusting their daily lives, economy, and family routines to a prolonged situation of uncertainty. Authorities hope that this process will mark the beginning of the definitive end of a tough crisis, progressively returning normality to thousands of families who have lived for months under severe restrictions on an essential service like water.
