What Happened
The National Institute of Aqueducts and Sewage Systems has begun a nationwide maintenance plan for Panama’s drinking water network, starting with repairs to leaks and the replacement of deteriorated valves. IDAAN director Antonio Tercero González said the work is aimed at improving service and stabilizing supply in affected areas.
The first repairs began this week in the metropolitan region, with new repair days scheduled every 15 days in communities that report the most leaks. Residents are being asked to report water escapes through the 311 hotline, IDAAN’s social media channels, or directly to field personnel.
How the Plan Is Structured
The repairs are part of short-term measures within a broader national strategy to optimize the drinking water system. IDAAN says the plan also includes medium- and long-term steps designed to strengthen water production, distribution, storage, and overall reliability.
Among the short-term actions are the activation and drilling of wells. In the medium term, the agency plans to rehabilitate and expand treatment plants, improve water distribution and conduction systems, and restructure reserve tanks. Long-term goals include studies to relocate water intakes to safer and more reliable levels, along with the construction of new treatment plants.
Projects Moving Forward in Several Provinces
In the capital area, the leak-repair campaign has already helped stabilize supply in some sectors of Panama City. IDAAN also announced the upcoming inauguration of the North Hydraulic Ring, a project that will bring drinking water to communities including Guarumal, Mocambo Arriba and Villa Cárdenas.
In Azuero, the agency has carried out adjustments at the intake of the Rufina Alfaro treatment plant in La Villa de Los Santos, including dredging, improvements to pump motors, and the activation of telemetry to better measure the flow of the La Villa River. New filters are also set to be installed at the Rufina Alfaro plant and at the Roberto Reyna plant in Chitré.
The rehabilitation and expansion project for the Roberto Reyna plant is nearing the bidding stage. The plan is to raise production from 8 million gallons a day to 15 million gallons a day.
Work in Veraguas and the Government’s Water Priority
ID AAN also pointed to progress in Atalaya, in the province of Veraguas. Officials said work on valves has already brought water back to the town center, while distant wells have also been rehabilitated. Additional areas are expected to benefit after electrical work with the power distributor is completed to connect those wells.
Tercero González framed the water program as a priority for President José Raúl Mulino’s administration, saying the goal is to bring water to all Panamanians. The current repair campaign, along with the planned plant upgrades and new infrastructure, reflects a broader effort to reduce disruptions and improve service across the country.