Sanaa to impose severe water rationing in Tegucigalpa - Honduras

Honduran national water utility Sanaa is to impose severe water rationing in capital Tegucigalpa due to low levels in reservoirs, paper La Tribuna reported.

The city will have access to potable water every other day, recently appointed Sanaa director Jack Arévalo Fuentes was quoted as saying.

The El Niño climate phenomenon, which has been affecting the country since May, has caused water levels in the area's reservoirs to drop by 36%, the report said.

The drought is likely to continue until mid-2010, according to the country's national meteorological service (SMN).

Adding to the problem is the fact that more than 50% of the city's water supply is lost due to leaks in pipelines, according to the report.

DEFICIT

Sanaa is likely to close the year with a budget deficit of over 200mn lempiras (US$10.6mn), Arévalo Fuentes said.

The deficit is due to high operational costs, particularly in paying personnel, a problem partly attributable to the inadequacies of the previous administration, according to Arévalo Fuentes.

Sanaa's financial situation has been compounded by the withdrawal of funding from international organizations after the military coup in June this year, former Sanaa director Jorge Méndez said.

Spain's government was to provide 440mn lempiras, which was to be used to repair pipelines, and the World Bank was also to provide 100mn lempiras.

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