The regional director of Health for Los Santos, Antonio Manuel González, announced the return to normal water consumption and use in the communities of Llano de Piedra in Macaracas and Las Tablas after more than eight months of a water crisis caused by the contamination of the La Villa River, the main water source in the area. The certification came after reports from an accredited external laboratory confirmed that the water distributed from the Rufina Alfaro and Llano de Piedra treatment plants meets the parameters set in the Technical Regulation DGNTI-COPANIT 21-2019 on drinking water quality. The process included technical adjustments made by the National Aqueducts and Sewers Institute (IDAAN), as well as coordinated monitoring between the Ministry of Health (MINSA) and the entity responsible for supply, after contamination was detected in the La Villa River, a situation that affected thousands of residents in the Azuero region for months. Authorities reported that MINSA is awaiting the completion of disinfection work on the distribution network in the districts of Los Santos and Guararé to validate the laboratory results that IDAAN will present before extending the certification to these areas. "We know the wait has been long, but this process guarantees that the water you will receive in your homes is of quality and suitable for human consumption, thus protecting the health of the population," reiterated González. Meanwhile, the executive director of IDAAN, Rutilio Villarreal, pointed out that once the quality issue is resolved, the institution is now focusing its efforts on improving the quantity and continuity of supply, due to complaints from residents about low pressures and water shortages in recent weeks. He explained that a recent measurement operation was carried out along the 32 kilometers of the conduction line from La Villa de Los Santos to Las Tablas, managing to sustain pressures in Ciudad de Las Tablas during the night. However, he recalled that the behavior of the aqueduct is dynamic and pressures vary as daily consumption increases. Regarding the resumption of service charges in areas where water potability has already been certified, Villarreal indicated that the matter will be presented to the board of the entity. The disinfection schedule will continue on March 10, 11, and 12 in the district of Los Santos, with which it is expected to complete the process in the systems linked to the Rufina Alfaro plant. For the Chitré region, the dates will be announced soon, and the procedure will be carried out by micro-sectors, in order to minimize the impact on water supply.
