---
title: "La Chorrera Inaugurates Panama West's First Air-To-Water Drinking Fountain"
date: 2026-10-01
modified: 2026-10-02
author: "Panama Daily News"
url: https://panamadaily.news/2026/10/01/la-chorrera-inaugurates-panama-wests-first-air-to-water-drinking-fountain/
categories:
  - "News"
---

# La Chorrera Inaugurates Panama West's First Air-To-Water Drinking Fountain

A public school in La Chorrera has become the first educational center in the province of Panamá Oeste to receive a drinking fountain that produces potable water directly from the humidity in the air — a technology-driven solution that operates entirely on solar power and requires no connection to wells, pipes, or the electrical grid.

## What Happened

The Centro Educativo Básico General de La Mitra unveiled the new fountain, which captures ambient humidity, condenses it, and puts it through a purification process to produce water fit for human consumption. The initiative was managed by the Municipality of La Chorrera, with support from Alternative Water Corp. and the collaboration of the Ministry of Education. The equipment was donated as part of a social project aimed at bringing sustainable drinking water solutions to communities across the country.

La Chorrera Mayor Eloy Chong highlighted that the installation resulted from the municipal administration’s efforts and joint work with the private company and the Ministry of Education. He emphasized the value of partnerships between government and business in delivering essential services to residents.

Alexander Ermakov, manager of Alternative Water Corp., explained that the system was designed to operate autonomously with low environmental impact, particularly in places where access to drinking water is a challenge. He noted that the equipment does not use replaceable filters and requires only periodic maintenance and cleaning. According to the company, the quality of the water produced has been certified by Panama’s Ministry of Health and by internationally accredited laboratories.

## Background

Atmospheric water generation — the process of extracting drinking water from air humidity — has emerged in recent years as a practical alternative for regions where traditional water infrastructure is limited or unreliable. Panama’s tropical climate, with consistently high humidity levels, makes the country particularly well suited to this technology.

The La Mitra installation is the second of its kind in a Panamanian school. The first was installed at the Escuela Bijagual in Metetí, in the province of Darién, through a donation made via the Fundación Pro Niños de Darién. That earlier project demonstrated the technology’s potential in remote, hard-to-reach communities where conventional water supply systems are scarce.

Alternative Water Corp. says it plans to continue bringing these systems to difficult-to-access communities as part of a social initiative to provide safe, sustainable, and free alternatives for drinking water supply.

## What This Means for Panama

For students, teachers, and the wider school community in La Mitra, the fountain strengthens access to safe drinking water on campus. Just as importantly, the installation will serve as an educational tool, giving students hands-on exposure to technological alternatives that harness resources available in their own environment in a sustainable way.

The project also illustrates a growing model of cooperation between municipal governments, national ministries, and private companies to address basic needs in Panama. With solar power eliminating electricity costs and no replaceable filters needed, the system’s operating demands are minimal — a key consideration for schools and communities with limited budgets.

The expansion of this technology to more schools and remote communities is worth watching. If the units perform as intended, air-to-water systems could become a meaningful complement to Panama’s traditional water infrastructure, particularly in areas like Darién and other hard-to-reach regions where the company says it intends to continue deploying equipment.

This story was originally reported by [Nex Panama](https://nexpanama.com/la-chorrera-inaugura-primera-fuente-que-genera-agua-potable-a-partir-de-la-humedad-del-aire/).