The Bay of Panama Cleanup Project Moves Along
Date: 09/02/2006Panama City produces 280,000 cubic meters/day of wastewater. That's a lot of you-know-what. Right now, the raw sewage flows into rivers that crisscross the city or directly into the Bay of Panama, producing very high levels of organic and bacterial contamination. If you've been here on a hot, steamy day, you know that certain parts of the city can smell somewhat…ripe.
Fortunately, the powers-that-be recognize the need to rectify this situation. And even more fortunately, the Bay of Panama cleanup project seems to be moving right along.
On Friday, September 15, Panama's health ministry expects to receive letters of interest from companies that wish to be considered to design a wastewater pipeline for Panama City.
The pipeline will be used to transport the city's wastewaters to the Juan Díaz wastewater treatment plant. Authorities estimate the pipeline will be 10.5 kilometers in length and will cost approximately $15 million to build, although these details will be confirmed once the letters of interest have been received and the final design has been approved. The consultancy firms that respond must have affirmable experience in geotechnical and engineering studies. Those selected will have 60 days to research the project and submit a report.
The pipeline project will be overseen by Panama's health ministry, with the participation of Panama's state-owned water utility, Idaan, and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). This will be the first of three phases of a $360 million program to build a system to collect, treat and dispose of the city's sewage.
The health ministry obtained a $45 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) - with an additional $5.15 million in state counterpart funding - to finance the expansion of the sewage system and the improvement of sanitation and environmental conditions in the capital city.
Some of these funds will be used to finance the upcoming design study. More will go towards a program to improve Idaan's financial sustainability and to create a more economically efficient and socially equitable rates structure.
The next phases of the program include the construction and expansion of a wastewater treatment plant and of the system of collectors and interceptors to direct all sewage to the treatment facility. Plans include building some 47 kilometers of collectors along the most polluted rivers and tributaries to intercept discharges. Pumping stations will be built and nearly eight kilometers of pressure mains will be installed to drain wastewater from those areas that preclude the use of gravity systems.
These works could eventually be financed by the IDB, the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, private sector investments (under a concession or build-own-transfer contract), or a combination of any of these sources.
We'll keep you posted as this project progresses.
Best Regards,
Brandon Clogston
International Living, Panama
P.S. International Living keeps you informed about Panama. Our Panama: The Owner's Manual has recently been updated…it's a huge, and very comprehensive, guidebook that will tell you everything you need to know to plan your move to Panama. Find out more here. A perfect complement to this manual is our online publication, Panama Insider. Every month we profile a new location or opportunity in Panama. And we hope you'll join us for one of our tours and events in Panama. In fact, October 18-21, International Living's Ultimate Event will be held here. Find out more here.
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