Water Extraction System Dismantled Along Río Partido In Salcedo

Authorities have dismantled a system used to extract and transport water directly from Río Partido in La Confluencia, a community in Salcedo, Hermanas Mirabal province, after local residents reported the installation to environmental officials.

The operation removed between 40 and 50 meters of piping, pumping equipment and other infrastructure associated with the water-capture system. Authorities also demolished a block structure located less than three meters from the river channel that had been used to shelter some of the equipment.

Equipment Removed From The River Area

The Dominican Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources said inspectors found a submersible pump, pipes and electrical equipment connected to the system. The installation was designed to capture water from Río Partido and convey it away from the river through the piping network.

The intervention involved the Ministry’s Environmental Enforcement Directorate, the Directorate of Water under the Vice Ministry of Soils and Water, the National Environmental Protection Service (SENPA) and the ministry’s provincial office in Hermanas Mirabal.

The agencies first carried out surveillance, monitoring and inspection activities after receiving several complaints from residents of La Confluencia. A preliminary operation removed part of the infrastructure, followed by a joint intervention that completed the dismantling and cleared the area immediately surrounding the waterway.

Residents Reported Direct Water Extraction

Information gathered by the authorities indicated that the extracted water was intended for personal and residential use by members of the local community. The operation was focused on stopping the direct capture of water from Río Partido and removing the infrastructure that enabled the system to operate.

During the second intervention, officials dismantled the remaining components, seized materials associated with the installation and demolished the block building positioned less than three meters from the river. The ministry said the action left the water-capture system inoperable.

Environmental Monitoring To Continue

The operation forms part of the Environment Ministry’s enforcement efforts under Minister Paíno Henríquez to respond to activities that could affect natural resources, with particular attention to the protection of water bodies.

The ministry said monitoring of the area will continue to prevent the reinstallation of structures designed to extract water directly from Río Partido. The response also highlights the role of community complaints in alerting environmental authorities to potentially unauthorized uses of local water resources.

More broadly, the intervention underscores the importance of protecting rivers, watersheds and other ecosystems that form part of the country’s natural heritage. The Dominican Republic has an extensive network of protected areas in Dominican Republichttps://dominicanscope.com/environment/protected-areas-dominican-republic/, which helps conserve ecosystems, biodiversity and water resources across different regions of the country.

With the infrastructure removed and the nearby construction demolished, the authorities have restored the immediate area around the river channel and disabled the system used for direct water extraction.