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A Year On, Azuero's Water Crisis Lingers; Families Still Buy Water Amid El Niño Fears
🇵🇦 Panama /Disasters & Emergencies

A Year On, Azuero's Water Crisis Lingers; Families Still Buy Water Amid El Niño Fears

From TVN Panamá · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • A year after a water crisis hit Azuero, Panama, many families still struggle to access clean water, relying on expensive bottled water or community distribution.
  • The crisis began when contamination from pig farms and sewage was detected in the region's main water sources, the La Villa and Estibaná rivers.
  • As Azuero works to recover, the looming threat of El Niño raises concerns that reduced rainfall could exacerbate existing water scarcity issues.

A year ago, the Azuero region of Panama was plunged into a severe water crisis, triggered by the detection of unusual microorganisms in its primary water sources. Julissa Degracia, regional director of the Idaan (National Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers), confirmed contamination in the La Villa and Estibaná rivers, forcing the shutdown of several water treatment plants and disrupting the lives of over 100,000 residents in Herrera and Los Santos provinces.

There has been an increase in unusual live microorganisms in the river intake…

— Julissa DegraciaDirector of Idaan in Los Santos, describing the initial detection of contamination that sparked the water crisis.

For many families, the crisis has become a grim new normal. The daily struggle for clean water persists, with many resorting to purchasing expensive bottled water, a significant drain on monthly budgets. Pedro Quintero, a resident, spends between $10 and $15 monthly on five-gallon water jugs. Others buy cases of water when they can afford it, or rely on community water distribution when funds are low. The sight of women carrying water jugs and the elderly transporting water in carts has become a common, heartbreaking scene.

The contamination was linked to waste from pig farms, leachates, and sewage, raising serious questions about environmental management, sanitary controls, and the oversight of activities near the rivers. In response, the Idaan has activated over 50 wells, some of which were previously abandoned, as a palliative measure. Efforts are also underway to rehabilitate the Roberto Reyna and Rufina Alfaro water treatment plants, with upgrades to chemical dosing systems, purification processes, and laboratory equipment for early contamination alerts.

There is a lot of pain. I am from Chitre and this has hit me hard because I cannot see my town like this… ladies carrying carafes and elderly people moving water in carts.

— José Damiel SantamaríaA resident of Azuero describing the emotional and practical toll of the ongoing water crisis.

As Azuero grapples with the aftermath of this crisis, a new threat looms: the potential impact of the El Niño phenomenon. Citizen organizations are warning against temporary solutions, demanding concrete and serious responses to the water problem. The fear is that a reduction in rainfall could further strain already scarce water resources, turning a past crisis into a recurring nightmare for the region.

We refuse to normalize something that cannot continue to happen. We need concrete and serious answers.

— Community RepresentativesExpressing frustration and demanding sustainable solutions to the water crisis.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by TVN Panamá in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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