Residents of Villa Marina in the district of Atalaya, in the province of Veraguas, have expressed their concern about bad smells from feces in the environment, affecting residents of the area. According to those affected, this situation is due to the collapse of the sewerage system. Benjamin Villar, one of the residents, explained that the problem has worsened in recent months with constant wastewater spills that occur inside and outside houses, creating an unhealthy environment and health risks. This responsibly contacted Janine Prado, who was the former legal representative of the construction company of the residential complex. She denied some social media publications, stating that the septic tanks of Villa Marina were transferred to the local board of that community a long time ago through an agreement; however, occasionally their company has provided free maintenance to them. Fulvia Álvarez, one of the affected residents, explained that the sanitation system has recurrent failures that have not been definitively resolved. “We have had wastewater spills with feces inside our homes.” “It is a desperate situation; many families have chosen to leave the residential complex due to constant problems,” she stated. Álvarez also pointed out that in addition to the sewer collapse, the poor condition of the internal streets of the residential complex aggravates the situation, hindering vehicular access and worsening the living conditions of those who still remain in the area. Meanwhile, Janine Prado, a member of the Eco Casa company, promoter of the project, assured this medium that work is being done to fix the problem in the community. “The project met all the established standards at the time; however, we are collaborating with government institutions to find a definitive solution to this situation,” she stated. The residents made an urgent call to the authorities to intervene immediately and to adopt measures that guarantee adequate sanitary conditions and a better quality of life in the Villa Marina residential complex.
