The Potable Water Crisis in the Pacora River Basin: Waste and Pig Farms are not Helping

2026-03-21 - 17:34

The tour began early, following the course of the tributaries of the Pacora River basin. The National Assembly’s Population, Environment, and Development Commission visited several communities in the eastern part of Panama Province, such as Las Garzas, San Martín, and San Miguel, to verify what, until now, had been repeated complaints: sources of pollution in one of the main watersheds that supply water to thousands of people. Independent congressman Betserai Richards pictured above, warned that one of the main concerns revolves around the pollution generated by pig farms. “It’s a situation that strongly reminds us of what happened in Azuero,” he noted, alluding to the recent incidents in that region of Herrera and Los Santos, where pig farming compromised water sources. In his opinion, the risk is that the problem will repeat itself, this time in a key watershed for eastern Panama.