HAVANA, Cuba, Apr 6 (acn) Cuba recognizes in the desalination of sea water an alternative that comes to stay, amid the drought scenario the country has been going through for three years, officials of the National Institute of Water Resources (INRH by its Spanish acronym) said.
Ricardo Limias, investment director of that agency, referred to this option, inserted in a program in the medium and long term, in order to increase the availability of the liquid in the nation.
According to the official, this technology is currently used in tourism and industry, and there is a plan to extend it to settlements where there is a greater water deficit.
He said that in addition to the plant installed in Santiago de Cuba - most affected province by drought - five other are expected to be built in Guamá, also part of that eastern territory.
He added that the plan for 2017 also includes the installation of similar equipment in the municipality of Guanabo (Havana) and Cauto Cristo (Granma), while another two are planned for the tourist resorts of Villa Clara and Cayo Coco, in Ciego de Ávila.
Ines Maria Chapman, INRH president, commented on other strategies to face the situation of water resources shortage in the island, which 242 reservoirs only store 38 percent of their total capacity.
According to the official, 3,400 million cubic meters of water are lost today, and 1,600 million out of them are recoverable through different actions.
She added that the guidelines, in that sense, focus on reducing leakage rates inside homes, as well as rehabilitation of canals and networks, and updating of tariffs to regulate consumption and encourage the culture of savings in the state and private sectors.
In Havana, since 2011, strategies have been implemented that include the restoration of old aqueduct networks, the elimination of leaks in large water transfer pipes, the interconnection of systems, the analysis of alternative sources based on water desalination and hydrometry.
Javier Toledo, INRH delegate in Havana, reported that in the last five years, more than 225 million pesos were invested, leading to the conclusion of 217 works, rehabilitation of more than 135 kilometers of water transfer pipes, 550 kilometers of aqueduct networks and 62 kilometers of sewage networks.
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