Cuba increases access to drinking water and sewage systems

Havana, March 1 (RHC)-- Cuba increased access to drinking water and sanitation systems despite economic restrictions due to Covid-19 and the U.S. blockade, local press reported.

In 2021, 105,252 inhabitants were hooked up to aqueduct networks, and investments are expected to be made this year to benefit a slightly higher number, according to the stock-taking meeting of the Hydraulic Resources Institute. This was reported by Granma newspaper.

The entity will prioritize the East-West water transfer project in the east of the country with the completion of the second stage of the Levisa dam and the start of the third stage, in addition to irrigating 60 hectares of rice, 10 hectares of various crops, and more than 1,200 hectares of sugar cane.

Given the impact of the drought on the Island's water bodies, the Institute plans to recover the reservoir capacity of about 27 cubic hectometers in five water reservoirs and intervene in 259 vulnerable neighborhoods that receive drinking water through alternative systems.

Deputy Prime Minister Inés María Chapman stressed that to achieve these goals, the Institute must prioritize substituting imports and seek solutions based on science, technology, and innovation.

According to official figures, 77.4 percent of the Cuban population receives water through aqueduct systems, and the aspiration is to raise that figure to 87 percent within nine years.