Corruption in water supply worsens drought crisis in Trinidad

Corruption in the supply of drinking water worsens the shortage of this resource in Trinidad, one of the Cuban territories affected by drought.

A report ofEscambray points out that, due to the lack of water, citizens report irregularities in the management of the resource that range from key chains that manipulate the valves at their convenience, to pipes that do not reach their destination and are sold for 3,000 or 5,000 pesos.

More than 30,000 Trinidadians suffer from low water availability and the problem is not only due to climate change.

The effects of the drought are aggravated by the breakage of several pumping equipment, irregularities in the distribution of liquid with tank cars, and the energy deficit that exists in the Sancti Spíritus province.

In almost the entire urban area of Trinidad the service is unstable, and the same occurs in the rural communities of the municipality.

The sources of water supply are: the natural spring from San Juan de Letrán, the batteries of wells in Santiago Escobar, Las Piñas, Los Mangos and the Western zone. In addition, as reservoirs it has four distribution tanks and a water treatment plant.

The hydraulic infrastructure does not meet the needs of urban growth and tourism development in the territory. Most of the supply systems in the municipality present some type of impact, either due to the absence of precipitation or breakdown of pumping equipment.

The Santiago Escobar wells have three disabled pumps, those in the Western zone have two broken and Los Mangos, one out of service.

The government's alternative has been to promote the distribution of water in tank cars. However, the trucks do not have tires, batteries, or fuel backup.

The regime said that it will guarantee diesel for state and private vehicles committed to delivering water to the population, but even so the service through the pipes is irregular. There are trucks that take up to five days to bring water to the neighborhoods.

"There is a lot of lack of control. The water is diverted and sold. Previously we signed the voucher for the piper and we even made the trip with him," said a desperate neighbor.

The population's complaints refer, in addition to dissatisfaction with the water supply service, problems with leaks, the cleaning of pits and manholes.

There are people in Trinidad with severe chronic diseases, classified as social cases, who are without access to water for several days.

The government said that it is planning a change in the energy matrix in 13 of the pumping stations that will benefit the residents of those areas, but they did not report on what date they will fulfill their promise.

Last week, Engineer Alexis Acosta Cruz, vice president of theOSDE Water and Sanitation, confirmed that in Cuba only half of the population receives drinking water service in a stable and safe manner.