Water scarcity affects communities in Bolivia and Panama

Communities in Bolivia and Panama are facing significant challenges regarding access to potable water. In San Miguel de Velasco, Bolivia, residents have dealt with long-term issues concerning the quantity, quality, and continuity of water services. Local officials, including Mayor Limbert Ordóñez and departmental assemblyman Abelardo Stelzer, are seeking urgent solutions to meet Bolivian standards (NB-512). They have called for coordinated intervention from municipal, departmental, and national government levels, including the Viceministerio de Agua and the AAPS.

In Panama, dozens of communities across the districts of Panama and San Miguelito are experiencing severe water shortages. Residents in areas such as Hato Pintado, El Cangrejo, and various sectors of San Miguelito report receiving water for only four to six hours a day, often with insufficient pressure. This intermittent service has hindered basic daily activities and forced residents in apartment complexes and residential areas to ration water. The National Water and Sewerage Institute (Idaan) is aware of the ongoing situation, which has worsened in recent weeks.