The National Aqueducts and Sewers Institute (Idaan) is carrying out mass cut-off operations for residential and commercial clients with a huge debt to the institution.
According to Guerra, Idaan is notifying clients of this measure, and the operation will be carried out nationwide for two months. The official explained that since Idaan is regulated by ASEP, all information is passed to that institution, which is responsible for imposing fines.
«We have encountered all kinds of obstructions, people who have thrown cement on the meters to prevent disconnection, others park vehicles on the meter,» said Guerra, who added that «they receive support from the operational department with equipment, backhoes, and other tools to carry out the disconnections».
In this sense, the official indicated that the operation will begin with all these clients who have water 24/7.
«In Arraiján, we have many sectors with water 24/7,» Guerra responded when questioned about complaints from many residents of West Panama about the lack of drinking water.
«Residential clients have a debt of over $80 million and commercial clients of over 16 million,» he detailed.
The news was confirmed by Tomás Guerra, Commercial Deputy Director of Idaan, during an interview on Nex Noticias.
Delinquency is concentrated in Panama, Panama Metro, as well as in Chiriquí, Arraiján, and Colón.
«Now that the National Aqueducts and Sewers Institute is carrying out cut-off operations due to the immense debt among residential and commercial clients, Idaan officials have found that many meters have been covered in cement or vehicles are parked on the meter to avoid the measure.»
«We are making a great investment to increase our coverage, but we need clients who receive water 24/7 to make payments so that we can reinvest this money in improvements and thus increase our water coverage throughout the country,» he said.
«The institution has more than 50 water treatment plants that need maintenance».
