Water Pollution In The Dominican Republic: Understanding The Causes

The Dominican Republic has been facing a water crisis, with a lack of access to safe drinking water and water shortages. While the country has achieved impressive increases in access to water supply and sanitation, the quality of these services remains poor. Water pollution in the country is caused by a variety of factors, including poor waste management, agricultural runoff, and irrational water use. Natural disasters, such as hurricanes and floods, have also destroyed water systems, and contamination from bacteria and heavy metals is common. The government has taken steps to improve the situation, but the impact of pollution on the environment and public health remains a concern.

Poor wastewater management

Despite the Dominican Republic's impressive increases in access to water supply and sanitation over the past two decades, the quality of water supply and sanitation services remains poor. In 2015, around 1.6 million people lacked access to "improved" water, and 1.7 million lacked access to "improved" sanitation. Poor households exhibit lower levels of access: only 56% of poor households are connected to water house connections, compared to 80% of non-poor households. Just 20% of poor households have access to sewers, compared to 50% for the non-poor.

The water crisis in the Dominican Republic is largely due to the contamination of water systems with bacteria. Water pollution is caused by poor urban wastewater management, solid waste, and agricultural runoff. In some cases, high salinity, pesticides, and other pollutants are present in water close to agricultural, urban, and industrial areas. The Dominican Republic's water systems have also been destroyed by natural disasters, and the occurrence of these disasters is becoming greater by year. The most common natural disasters are hurricanes, flash floods, high winds, and mudslides.

The poor condition of purification systems, minimal operational controls, and low levels of maintenance of treatment plants contribute to water pollution. As of 2002, only 73.6% of drinking water quality samples showed satisfactory drinking water quality, and 38.4% of water systems lack chlorination systems. While the presence of coliforms is not a direct health hazard, it indicates the potential presence of harmful pathogens.

The government has taken steps to address the water pollution issue, including decentralizing some responsibilities to local and regional governments and water user associations (WUAs). However, the transfer process and the performance of WUAs are still far from ideal, and the government continues to provide subsidies to cover operation and maintenance costs. In 2009, the World Bank approved a USD 34 million Water and Sanitation in Tourist Areas Project to reduce the high economic, environmental, and social costs caused by wastewater and solid waste deficiencies.

Lack of solid waste management

The Dominican Republic has achieved impressive increases in access to water supply and sanitation services over the past two decades. However, the quality of these services remains poor, and water pollution is a significant issue. One of the main causes of water pollution in the country is the lack of solid waste management.

The Dominican Republic's government has decentralized some responsibilities in the water sector, such as infrastructure maintenance and water fee collection, to other institutions. Despite these efforts, the country continues to struggle with inadequate management and disposal of sewage and solid waste. This deficiency poses a threat to the tourism industry, which relies heavily on the quality of water resources and the coastal environment.

The impact of poor solid waste management is evident in the contamination of water sources. High levels of nutrients, organic matter, and bacteriological contamination have been detected in water samples. The presence of coliforms, an indicator of potential pathogenic contamination, exceeds the acceptable limit of 5% in the water supplied by INAPA, the main water company serving 40% of the population.

Inadequate solid waste management also contributes to water scarcity in the Dominican Republic. Poor demand management in irrigation, urban water supply, and tourist infrastructure in drier regions exacerbates the problem. Additionally, weak watershed management leads to soil erosion and increases the frequency and severity of flooding events.

The lack of solid waste management has direct health consequences for the population. Water pollution caused by poor waste management and agricultural runoff disproportionately affects the poor, leading to health issues such as diarrhoea, especially among children. The lack of access to clean drinking water further compounds these health problems.

Natural disasters

The Dominican Republic is prone to natural disasters, and their occurrence is becoming more frequent. Between 1980 and 2008, the country experienced 40 natural disasters that adversely affected about a quarter of the population. The most common natural disasters are hurricanes, flash floods, high winds, and mudslides. However, Dominicans in the Santo Domingo area have faced recent drought conditions, including many neighbourhoods in the northwestern and southeastern parts of the capital region.

The Dominican Republic's hurricane season typically lasts from June to November, bringing high winds, flooding, landslides, and property damage to the island. Hurricanes are not the only relevant natural disasters, as the country also experiences earthquakes, tsunamis, heatwaves, and droughts. These events can cause economic losses, with Hurricane Georges in 1998 causing economic losses of US$2,193, or 14% of gross national income, and 235 deaths.

Climate change is expected to exacerbate the situation, with permanent climate shocks predicted for the Caribbean region, including sea level rise, higher temperatures, extreme weather events, and more frequent and severe "El Niño-like" conditions. Demographic growth, deforestation, and a lack of mitigation measures will further intensify the effects of disasters in the future.

Poor purification systems

The Dominican Republic has made significant strides in improving access to water supply and sanitation services over the past two decades. However, the quality of these services remains inadequate, particularly in terms of purification systems.

The poor condition of purification systems is a critical issue contributing to water pollution in the country. This is exacerbated by minimal operational controls and low maintenance of treatment plants. The absence of chlorination systems in 38.4% of water systems, mostly in rural areas, further increases the risk of contaminated water. These systems are essential for disinfecting water and ensuring it is safe for consumption. Even when chlorination systems are present, there is no guarantee that the water is properly disinfected. As a result, drinking water quality can be unsatisfactory, with potential health risks associated with the presence of pathogens.

The impact of poor purification systems is far-reaching. Firstly, it affects the health and well-being of the population, particularly children who are vulnerable to diarrheal diseases due to contaminated water. Secondly, it hinders economic activities, especially tourism, which relies heavily on the quality of water resources and the coastal environment. The tourism industry, contributing significantly to the country's GDP and export earnings, is threatened by the deficiency in water and sewerage services.

Additionally, the lack of proper purification systems leads to water scarcity in certain regions, particularly drier areas. This is due to poor demand management in urban water supply and tourist infrastructure, further exacerbating the challenges faced by the country.

To address these issues, the World Bank approved a USD 34 million Water and Sanitation in Tourist Areas Project in 2009. The project aims to reduce the environmental and economic costs associated with wastewater and solid waste deficiencies and improve the quality and provision of water services, particularly in tourist areas.

Metal mining

The presence of these pollutants in water ecosystems poses a severe threat to both environmental and human health. A 2012 report by the Dominican Academy of Sciences revealed that operations by the Canadian mining company Barrick Gold were contaminating the Hatillo dam. Locals also reported that rivers previously unaffected, such as Maguaca and Arroyo El Rey, now show high levels of contamination.

Barrick Gold has faced strong accusations from residents around the Pueblo Viejo mine, who claim that the company has poisoned the water, leading to adverse health effects. Tests conducted in 2014 on residents living nearby detected high levels of cyanide and heavy metals in their urine and blood, likely resulting from the absorption of toxic metals through contaminated water.

The use of chemicals in metal mining operations has also been a cause for concern. In the Cibao region, Barrick Gold has been noted for its extensive use of chemicals. A 2004 study estimated that substantial quantities of hazardous substances, including formaldehyde, lead, ammonia, and sulphuric acid, were stored in the town of Bajos de Haina, originating from industrial processes such as manufacturing and metal production.

The contamination of water sources by metal mining activities has severe ecological, social, and economic implications. It disrupts aquatic ecosystems, endangers human health, and threatens the livelihoods of communities dependent on clean water sources. Addressing the impacts of metal mining on water pollution in the Dominican Republic requires strict regulation, improved waste management practices, and the implementation of sustainable mining techniques.

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