‘Water is getting very expensive’
Residents of southern Quito who are looking for transportation to reach water distribution points are upset because the shortage is increasing their costs to access this basic service, saying they have to pay transporters to help them move the containers.
"We don’t have water to wash clothes. We’re tired of carrying it. Sometimes we pay $2 or $3 USD for the car to help us," a woman tells CNN while waiting for her husband to finish.
People in Quito, Ecuador, gather water from a nearby spring.
People in Quito, Ecuador, gather water from a nearby spring. CNN
Meanwhile, María Tipán said she has to make up to eight trips. Her biggest concern is not having water to wash the clothes of the grandchildren she’s raising.
"Seven or eight trips to carry water, and they charge us $5 USD. We don’t even have enough to wash clothes. I have grandchildren who make a mess. Water is getting very expensive, and they’ll charge us the full water bill," Tipán said.
Tensions between authorities
The municipality of Quito has ordered the deployment of 71 water tankers, five hydrants, five inflatable systems and three fixed water distribution points in southern Quito to address the emergency.
Quito Mayor Pabel Muñoz expects drinking water service to be restored to residents of the six affected areas by Sunday. His office says workers have so far removed 77% of the soil in the area where the landslide occurred.
"This is the most serious water emergency Quito has ever faced, and it was caused by an extreme natural phenomenon. More than 500 people are working daily on this emergency. In the páramo or in the neighborhoods. At dawn, at night, or under the sun," Muñoz stated.
Tankers from other cities and cantons have joined the efforts to aid and assist citizens. The Association of Municipalities of Ecuador coordinated the deployment of these units to Quito. The national and 1x bet india local governments are meeting separately to address the emergency, which has led to disputes over the management of the response.
IMG_20231207_113259314_HDR.jpg
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The national government has tasked Vice President María José Pinto with supplying and distributing aid to the affected population. The National Emergency Operations Committee (COE) announced the installation of three portable water purification plants at strategic locations with the support of the Ecuadorian Red Cross.
Energy Minister and COE President Inés Manzano criticized the Quito municipality’s response to the emergency and indicated that the Ministry of Environment recently requested a crisis plan, which, according to the official, was not submitted.
"And in fact, we have insisted that they provide us with a technical report on what happened and what activities they will carry out to complement it. Since there hasn’t been such truthful and timely communication, we have intervened," she said.
Meanwhile, Mayor Muñoz questioned the lack of fluid communication with the national government. "Why hasn’t there been contact with the Municipality? Why haven’t they been present at the Unified Command Post?" he said.
The government has asked the municipality for greater cooperation to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.
President Daniel Noboa has not yet commented publicly on the water crisis. In recent days, various social sectors and labor unions have protested Noboa’s lack of attention to social policies, as well as certain laws passed by the national assembly.
Noboa, who won reelection earlier this year, has been focused largely on national security issues, including a massive crackdown on violent criminal groups.
Residents of southern Quito who are looking for transportation to reach water distribution points are upset because the shortage is increasing their costs to access this basic service, saying they have to pay transporters to help them move the containers.
"We don’t have water to wash clothes. We’re tired of carrying it. Sometimes we pay $2 or $3 USD for the car to help us," a woman tells CNN while waiting for her husband to finish.People in Quito, Ecuador, gather water from a nearby spring.
People in Quito, Ecuador, gather water from a nearby spring. CNN
Meanwhile, María Tipán said she has to make up to eight trips. Her biggest concern is not having water to wash the clothes of the grandchildren she’s raising.
"Seven or eight trips to carry water, and they charge us $5 USD. We don’t even have enough to wash clothes. I have grandchildren who make a mess. Water is getting very expensive, and they’ll charge us the full water bill," Tipán said.
Tensions between authorities
The municipality of Quito has ordered the deployment of 71 water tankers, five hydrants, five inflatable systems and three fixed water distribution points in southern Quito to address the emergency.
Quito Mayor Pabel Muñoz expects drinking water service to be restored to residents of the six affected areas by Sunday. His office says workers have so far removed 77% of the soil in the area where the landslide occurred.
"This is the most serious water emergency Quito has ever faced, and it was caused by an extreme natural phenomenon. More than 500 people are working daily on this emergency. In the páramo or in the neighborhoods. At dawn, at night, or under the sun," Muñoz stated.
Tankers from other cities and cantons have joined the efforts to aid and assist citizens. The Association of Municipalities of Ecuador coordinated the deployment of these units to Quito. The national and 1x bet india local governments are meeting separately to address the emergency, which has led to disputes over the management of the response.
IMG_20231207_113259314_HDR.jpg
Related article
They left the US for Ecuador for a better life. Then the country was plunged into a state of emergency
The national government has tasked Vice President María José Pinto with supplying and distributing aid to the affected population. The National Emergency Operations Committee (COE) announced the installation of three portable water purification plants at strategic locations with the support of the Ecuadorian Red Cross.
Energy Minister and COE President Inés Manzano criticized the Quito municipality’s response to the emergency and indicated that the Ministry of Environment recently requested a crisis plan, which, according to the official, was not submitted.
"And in fact, we have insisted that they provide us with a technical report on what happened and what activities they will carry out to complement it. Since there hasn’t been such truthful and timely communication, we have intervened," she said.
Meanwhile, Mayor Muñoz questioned the lack of fluid communication with the national government. "Why hasn’t there been contact with the Municipality? Why haven’t they been present at the Unified Command Post?" he said.
The government has asked the municipality for greater cooperation to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.
President Daniel Noboa has not yet commented publicly on the water crisis. In recent days, various social sectors and labor unions have protested Noboa’s lack of attention to social policies, as well as certain laws passed by the national assembly.
Noboa, who won reelection earlier this year, has been focused largely on national security issues, including a massive crackdown on violent criminal groups.