Drought

You are so correct.  I had to  stop my employees from wasting water.  Their response -  well we have water, whats the problem???

Everyone needs to do their part.  In Santo Domingo they have shut down the water wasting car washes!  But that is all.  Nothing more.

In many neighborhoods they are not getting water every day. In some areas this is normal but now it is worse!  A friend lives in Gazcue and they are only getting water once a week!   Yikes.

I have not heard about this...is it all over the Caribbean or specific to certain islands?

There is an extensive article on the national drought in www.laromanabayahibenews.com

It is worse in the north of the country but very dry down here in La Romana. We have been seeing more rain over the  past week than we have all winter...

Kat I am pretty  sure this is a widespread problem on the islands.    It is a huge problem here with agriculture! 

Yes some areas of the country are more effected than others. In  many areas rivers have dried up!

Kat11 wrote:

I have not heard about this...is it all over the Caribbean or specific to certain islands?

It is very dry on other islands I have visited this year.

Punta Cana may not see the worst of this. I suspect they also get desalinated water there.

It is about 3 days a week supply to many parts of Santo Domingo and you don't notice it because many apartment blocks have storage tanks. But when they dry up and you can't shower or flush the toilet it isn't nice.

I lived in the campo before and the daily supply there was a couple for hours in the morning at best. We had large water tanks on the roof but most people settle for a barrel or two in the shower or toilet. I have a large plastic waste bin full in the second bathroom at all times these days in my SD apartment.

What about the hotels and gated communities with HOA fees. Will they get regular water?

I'm guessing that most of the Punta Cana resorts and resort communities get RO water (or maybe use well water). There aren't that many dams or rivers in the east of the country.

In which case your water would be secure but you pay a higher price.

Ask your resort maintenance manager.

Casa de Campo has a dam across the Chavon River and is out of control with water use in this 7000 acre compound...

Most resorts will be prioritized for water. Gated communities maybe. HOA fees will mean nothing if there is no availability!  Then they start buying truckloads of water IF it is available.

Wells are starting to run dry too apparently Lennox.

I've just been reading that the drought is affecting most of the Caribbean including the Greater Antilles (us) and is expected to continue for the next two months.

Here is one such article;

https://www.stlucianewsonline.com/carib … xt-months/

I believe we are now beginning to see an urgent reaction to the drought which could be with us for some time to come.

Apparently the main aqueducts to the capital are running at 30% capacity. I understand the problem is acute in Santiago too and the north of the country with severe effect in the north west and south west.

Today my local community leaders have called for a public meeting of all area residents. Hopefully this will help stop the waste of water I keep seeing daily.

Here is a relevant  news story being posted on a popular DR paper now.

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … JH12409734

Maybe go buy a few plastic bins to keep supplies in case of strict rationing for washing, showering and flushing loos.

Kat11 wrote:

What about the hotels and gated communities with HOA fees. Will they get regular water?

An article in Dairio Libre this week indicated that the water for Punta Cana was being obtained from wells - 140 0f them apparently - but because of the rate of extraction sea water was being drawn into the well water and making it more brackish.....

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … FC13224562

Water supply is defintely a problem in DR.

Apparently the reservoirs and water sources serving Santo Domingo still are low despite recent rains.

I can't imagine they are still low near Santo Domingo with all the rain we have had this week.

https://hoy.com.do/escasez-agua-potable … o-domingo/

Still a large deficit affecting many parts of the capital with water supply cuts. It will take some months and plenty of tropical waves passing to correct.

I know that there are still significant daily water supply cuts north of the capital too.

I was aware about outside the capital, will check the link, thanks.

You do great research and always find good links.  Thank you from all of us!

Good article.

A major issue here is the wasting of water.  Things done in the infrastructure and by people.  Old and badly maintained pipe systems are losing way too much water.

There is no education here about wasting resources.  Friday in the pouring rain I watched a neighbor hosing down their driveway and sidewalk!

I saw a new pipeline being installed in Juan Dolio on its way to the city of Santo Domingo.

I did too and it is being laid from San Pedro de Marcoris to the city alongside the autopista, but is it water in welded steel pipe?

I remember the dought in 2015...then for the next two years there was record flooding...I thought A: you need to prepare for everything! And, B: Why don't they start installing gutters everywhere and rain capture systems...so when the drought comes... because it will...we are all a bit more prepared...we remembered the drought and build a large cistern and soon we will add gutters...and I'm glad we did...

Most can't afford to install this honey. And once installed you have to maintain it.

Sadly capturing and holding water and not doing it properly leads to mosquitoes.  That is the current issue.

Most of the smaller properties built here have either flat concrete or zinc sheet roofing. The latter is the more economic form and gutters are not viable financially.
With concrete flat roofing invariably a single block is laid at the roof perimeter to form a parapet and the water is discharged through pipework spouts and many in the campo collect raimwater from these spouts in the large black plastic water tanks. It is a Dominican solution.

The real problem is that there is no good planning regulation that insists on a cistern being part of the plans for the larger buildings and villas as is the case in the islands.

Government seems inept at providing the basic services of water and electricity through infrastructure and legislation year in year out.

Now the water storage is not enough in drought times and the subterranean aquifers are getting contaminated.

Defecit of water supply for Santo Domingo is getting worse due to continued shortage of rains:

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … GE13351869

But where are the conservation measures? Car washes still operating normally.

That is a huge issue, no education on conserving water.  People see rain and think its over, no problem.  And they think the water continues forever.  I just had a meeting with my staff to  update them on the situation. Use the water responsibly!

In the states we can't get California, Phoenix, or Vegas to conserve within the context of regular quality metered service and massive public campaigns to educate people. In DR the concept of conservation is more closely tied with scarcity both real and through policy.

One of my biggest fears is the trend of using well water without any sort of municipal oversight. Worse yet, the lack of actual sewers (and water treatment plants) so the subterranean aquifers run the risk of being polluted and poisoned by septic and leeching waste water systems.

Rainfall does not recharge aquifers if everything is paved over and that is a serious problem as urban density increases without any sort of zoning to control density, height, property separations, green space set-asides, and rainfall run-off sources. 

If water policy is dictated by the "got mine" and the "get yours" mindset you're going to end up with collapsed/contaminated wells and dry/low rivers. It would be nice if some engineering and infrastructure was thrown at the problem to develop centralized water distribution that would be locally supplemented by rainwater capture and properly managed wells, but that kind of stuff doesn't pay the same kickbacks as Odebresch.

So first, welcome to the forums. You clearly know about these issues! Thank you.

I can't see any real action coming any time soon. Sad as we do need it.

There is still a significant shortfall of water stored in dams serving Santo Domingo and elsewhere:

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … DF14004575

A reduction in supply continues.

It is refreshing to see that some of the rains we have seen over the past several weeks, particularly to the north of the city, has freshened up the vegitation and it appears much greener driving around. But that hasn't rid us of the effects of a long drought.

Be aware and let's hope the phenomonen that the water authorities seek to recover water stocks is not Dorian like.

And today it is pouring rain in Santo Domingo east. Wow it's been a while since we have had heavy morning rain.  Woooo hoooo.

I have been reading as well, the drought in many parts of this country continues!  We all need to be aware.

Despite the recent tropical waves bringing rain to the south, the water reserves still remain lower than needed and cuts in supply continue in the south of the country. The most recent rains just maintained the dam levels but below the normal levels and the supply is still about 20% below normal as a result. https://eldia.com.do/caasd-produccion-d … s-por-dia/

The north I believe has had decent rains which have eased what was a desperate situation.

DR is not alone regionally with a water deficiency this year and most of the Caribbean islands are facing severe shortages of water. Central America, Asia, Australia ,USA and Europe are also suffering drought conditions in various regions. And yet again the annual and monthly temperatures continue to break records. Management and retention of water resources is going to be a major challenge everywhere and not just DR for both human consumption and agriculture.

The accumulated energy from the tropical storms in the Atlantic so far this year are at very high levels, and another super hurricane (the 5th in 3 years) has made landfall. Glaciers are receding at record rates, forest fires are accelerating and ocean levels are rising at faster rates now and major cities will be at flooding risk within the lifetimes of many posting here.

At my age I will likely not see the worst effects of the severe climatic changes that are beginning to kick in from climate change but I do care deeply for my younger family and indeed all the worlds youth.

And so it was so reassuring to see the recent strikes by the youth, and hopefully our younger generation will challenge world leaders to do much more.

The attached article, following release of the UN IPCC report this week is worthwhile reading:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/envi … ocean-ice/

For those that have chosen to retire in the Caribbean, expect to feel the effects of global warming more acutely than elsewhere including drought.

The dams serving Santiago and area (Taveras and Sabana) are reported now full after the long drought which resulted not only in severe water shortages for the population but also death of livestock and crops and increase in food prices:

https://noticiassin.com/director-indrhi … as-presas/

I read this comment elsewhere on social media in relation to a discussion about drought and thought it so true:

Get real guys, a couple days of rain has made you forget the months of drought. When cows are dying of thirst, platanos are at 20-25 pesos a unit, you just know some **** aint working right.
The only crazies screaming " fake news " on global warming are sad selfish 70+ years old. I just hope they go extinct, before they lead the whole world on the extinction path.

I just hope the younger generation continues to take up the gauntlet strongly against stubborn ideologies because it is their future that is at severe risk and especially in the islands.