Moderators Moderator_02 Posted July 10, 2017 Moderators Share Posted July 10, 2017 Quote Black water polluting David streets Posted on July 9, 2017 in Panama Post Views: 189 LOCKED sewers caused an overflow of black water in David, Chiriqui, after heavy rains on Sunday, July 8. There was also flooding in Colon and in Bethania in Panama City. A heavy rain warning has been issued for the rest of the week. The black water, in David is causing bad smells around the Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, park and local hotels. shops and restaurants. Jacinta Morales, a resident of the area, said that Third Street is flooded with strong smelling sewage and an unpleasant odor. “It seems incredible to me that one of the main commercial arteries of David much traveled by the population and tourists, is affected in this way, ” said Morales. The regional director of the National Aqueduct and Sewer Institute (Idaan), Youbert De Puy, said that they are cleaning the sewage system, between Calle Primera and Calle Tercera and other areas of the city, De Puy reported that Idaan is trying to eliminate excess grease, garbage and clothes that passers-by throw into sewers, which is why overflow occurs http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/black-water-polluting-david-streets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 3 minutes ago, Moderator_02 said: Idaan is trying to eliminate excess grease, garbage and clothes that passers-by throw into sewers, which is why overflow occurs Briliant. I guess when there's no river to throw your garbage in.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimAndNena Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 It is even worse downtown due to the eateries tossing all that cooking oil down the drains. Many places do not have P traps in the plumbing or if they did, they removed them because they clogged. No Board of Health visits ever. David's population is expanding faster than the infrastructure can handle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarieElaine Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 Are there no restaurant health inspectors here in Panama? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 1 hour ago, JimAndNena said: It is even worse downtown due to the eateries tossing all that cooking oil down the drains. Many places do not have P traps in the plumbing or if they did, they removed them because they clogged. No Board of Health visits ever. David's population is expanding faster than the infrastructure can handle. The David streets have had inadequate drainage for as long as I can remember. During heavy rains even nine or ten years ago they flooded badly, up to a foot or more. As you say, David is growing. I don't know why the government hasn't seen fit to improve its infrastructure. As inconvenient as it has been, I am glad Boquete is improving its sewer system downtown. There were areas that already were smelling bad. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimAndNena Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 13 minutes ago, Bonnie said: The David streets have had inadequate drainage for as long as I can remember. During heavy rains even nine or ten years ago they flooded badly, up to a foot or more. As you say, David is growing. I don't know why the government hasn't seen fit to improve its infrastructure. As inconvenient as it has been, I am glad Boquete is improving its sewer system downtown. There were areas that already were smelling bad. Me too, Bonnie. It is possible to build drainage for the rainy season downpours; we rarely saw flooded streets in the Canal Zone but one look at the California style aqueducts explained it. The danger there was keeping the kids out when the rains started as runoff was sudden and violent. But, the canal zone was built to plan, I doubt most of the cities had that advantage. Certainly Panama City, Colón, etc. never got built that way. Several projects during Martinelli's term were addressing connection of sewer/waste water lines for treatment in Panama City. David suffers from not being in Panama province, the money never reaches here. I am still not clear what Boquete's water treatment project is going to provide. Most of what I have read is that the main goal is to clean up the Caldera for the tourist appearance. Addressing the hundreds of septic systems throughout the district does not appear to be part of the plan? I could be wrong; not the first time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 It's my understanding--and I too could be wrong--that downtown and at least part of El Alto has a sewer system just as it has a water system. It is the new water lines and sewer lines that have the streets torn up and are shaking livers loose. This project does not extend to other parts of the community that exist on septic tanks and localized water juntas. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, and I welcome it. I find it difficult to understand everything that goes on here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 (edited) A project to upgrade the waste water system in David started in March. I imagine they will be separating black water from the street drainage system. Edited July 10, 2017 by Keith Woolford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 1 hour ago, Bonnie said: downtown and at least part of El Alto has a sewer system There is a sewer system in parts of Bajo Boquete that flow into a tributary of the river. Nothing in Alto that I'm aware of. It's my understanding that the new treatment system will collect black water from the 'out' side of existing or new septic systems before sending it down to the plant which is being constructed down by the Wilson bridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 2 hours ago, Bonnie said: There were areas that already were smelling bad The street drain directly in front of the Bistro had to have turned off potential diners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 (edited) 3 hours ago, MarieElaine said: Are there no restaurant health inspectors here in Panama? Of course there are Ministry of Health inspectors, Marie. Some people just like to spout mythology. Restaurants can't open or stay open without possessing up-to-date permits from MINSA. Also, commercial establishments and residences are required to have a separate grease trap. Edited July 10, 2017 by Keith Woolford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimAndNena Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 9 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said: Of course there are Ministry of Health inspectors, Marie. Some people just like to spout mythology. Restaurants can't open or stay open without possessing up-to-date permits from MINSA. Also, commercial establishments and residences are required to have a separate grease trap. I am assuming those grease traps are next to the mandatory cash registers which are next to the cash drawers that contain the actual cash? More mythology? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BD Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 Black water is defined as the discharge from a toilet according to many dictionaries. Am I the only one seeing a correlation between this topic and the ZIKA problem with this other posting? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimAndNena Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 3 minutes ago, BD said: Black water is defined as the discharge from a toilet according to many dictionaries. Am I the only one seeing a correlation between this topic and the ZIKA problem with this other posting? Yes. Gray water is dish or clothes washers, etc. RV campers are familiar with the difference but that is in the US. Gray water in many homes in Chiriquí gets dumped on the ground, it does not go into a septic system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueBird Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 ZIKA and other health problems (malaria, hepatitis, etc.) could be caused by black water which is sewage and human waste from toilets. Bet the medical staff in David is going to be busy taking care of patients. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim and Judi Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 27 minutes ago, BlueBird said: ZIKA and other health problems (malaria, hepatitis, etc.) could be caused by black water which is sewage and human waste from toilets. Bet the medical staff in David is going to be busy taking care of patients. No, zika, malaria and dengue are mosquito borne viruses. They cannot be transmitted via sewage. The only caviat, is there are a couple of instances where it seems that zika may have been transmitted through sexual contact and so I will not rule out other modes of transmission until further research is done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 I should think that black water would attract mosquitoes, no? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 (edited) 21 minutes ago, Bonnie said: I should think that black water would attract mosquitoes, no? Mosquitos* breed in any standing water. It's been my personal experience that they're attracted to blood. * alternative spelling Edited July 10, 2017 by Keith Woolford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim and Judi Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 2 hours ago, Bonnie said: I should think that black water would attract mosquitoes, no? It depends. Mosquitoes are attracted to water in order to lay their eggs. They breed in standing water, black grey, clear, whatever, but not water that is being disturbed, such as on streets where cars are driving through. They lay their eggs at the edge of standing water. Moving water will scour away the larvae, so not a great breeding ground. I'm not an entomologist but I have been involved in Dengue research with some anecdotal exposure to Zika and Chikungunya via my colleagues and have some knowledge of the mosquitoes that carry the diseases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimAndNena Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 9 hours ago, Keith Woolford said: Mosquitos* breed in any standing water. It's been my personal experience that they're attracted to blood. * alternative spelling Actually, mosquitoes are partial to CO2 and skin odor. Quote Researchers discovered a receptor that mosquitoes use to detect both carbon dioxide and skin odor, and they identified compounds that interact with the receptor. The findings may help guide strategies to control mosquitoes and the diseases they transmit. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/how-mosquitoes-detect-people The study found 2 compounds useful in combating mosquitoes, one to mask their receptors making humans stealthy, and one that attracts them into traps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimAndNena Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 I did some searching for water improvements and found this 6 year old article. I don't know the current status or success. Quote Martinelli to earmark US$18mn for potable water system By Haley Moncrief Tuesday, September 6, 2011 Panama's President Ricardo Martinelli plans to earmark two credits worth US$18mn for improvements to state-run water utility Idaan's potable water system. https://www.bnamericas.com/en/news/waterandwaste/martinelli-to-earmark-us18mn-for-potable-water-system Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim and Judi Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 2 hours ago, JimAndNena said: Actually, mosquitoes are partial to CO2 and skin odor. CO2 and skin odor have nothing to do with where they breed. Some research has shown preference of odors to who/where they bite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimAndNena Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 Perhaps David will get some attention once Panama City completes its modernization. https://www.suez.com/en/News/Press-Releases/SUEZ-strengthens-its-development-in-Central-America-winning-a-contract-for-the-extension-of-Panama-city Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 On 3/16/2017 at 6:40 PM, Keith Woolford said: New Waste Water Project starting in David Grupo SUEZ from France is involved in the $74.5 million dollar, 5 year plan to improve the sewer system in David which is currently underway. http://laestrella.com.pa/economia/grupo-suez-construira-alcantarillados-david/23974513 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimAndNena Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 12 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said: Grupo SUEZ from France is involved in the $74.5 million dollar, 5 year plan to improve the sewer system in David which is currently underway. http://laestrella.com.pa/economia/grupo-suez-construira-alcantarillados-david/23974513 Is this a new plan or something connected to the project started in Panama City. Maybe a packaged deal for better pricing? I quit reading the La Estrella when I learned on another website that it was a tabloid publication appealing to emotion, not intellect. This reads like real news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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