This type of information is really for a small group of people, the families that are connected to the Alto Jaramillo Aqueduct in Boquete Panama. It does however reflect on everyone in Boquete, in Panama and the rest of the world. We are all going to have water woes.
We are currently running out of potable water in Alto Jaramillo. I am not sure why, but this year with it's shorter, wetter, dry season is stressing our aqueduct from Cerro Azul more than in the past.
We do not have reservoir beyond a few small storage tanks, that are also pressure breaks, coming down the mountain. The water supply is a mountain creek that runs all year, this year it is reduced to a trickle. It could be because of global climate change and the high mountains getting less rain. We don't know if there has been less rain, there are no rain gauges up in the mountains. It could be increased consumption. There are few new houses that were built in the past year, that would mean people are using more water.
The reality is that during the dry season, people tend to irrigate with drinking water. Families also provide aqueduct water to livestock who normally use a currently dry creek. In any event, there are houses in Alto Jaramillo who do not have water.
This year we are working on two aqueduct projects. Enhancement and filters on Cerro Azul, the current headwater and the continuing saga of the La India project. Today I drove some folks up to clear trees for the new Cerro Azul filter system which should reduce sediment in the flow.
The one hundred thousand dollar plus La India aqueduct project, which will provide a near term solution to water woes is back in process. We are waiting for the contractor to replace some more broken pipes. It seems they had special thick walled pipes to use in the areas with the greatest pressure. Their supervisor never bothered to instruct the workers where to use them so most are in the wrong places. Good management skills demonstrated.
Potable water is going to be a world wide problem as climates change in the near future. Panama has plenty of water, when it's raining. We get a lot of rain, but we do nothing to store water for the dry days and that creates out water woes.
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