Water shortage exasperates

[NewsWhore]

With long lines of 55 gallon drums, buckets, or anything that can hold water, the scene in Pedro Brand, Los Alcarrizos and the northern part of Santo Domingo is one of exasperation. There is very little or no drinking water in the area since Tropical Storm Noel affected the country two weeks ago. People in Pedro Brand are complaining that the government is no longer providing water and that private companies are selling water at inflated prices. The crisis extends throughout areas in the northeast affected by the flooding of the Yuna River. The cities and towns in this region are also experiencing a lack of potable water. In the northeast, Jose Anibal Garcia, who heads the Regional Development Council, said that while Tropical Storm Noel is the excuse for the lack of safe water at the moment, the area suffers from an almost permanent drinking water shortage. Garcia said that the situation is complicated by the fact that there are not enough sewage systems in the region. He pointed out the fact that the water treatment plant has not been in operation for years in San Francisco de Macoris, the largest urban center in the region. In some places, according to Garcia, people have to use water from irrigation canals for their everyday needs.

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