Water gaps in Panama: 60% of indigenous communities lack safe drinking water.
Access to water and contamination of water sources remain critical challenges in Central America, a region where climate change and poverty exacerbate the water crisis, especially in areas with subsistence economies, and Panama is no exception.
A report by the Central American Humboldt Centre Association, published at the end of 2023, revealed that access to water resources for the region’s inhabitants has declined by 50-76% over the last five decades, largely due to population growth and inadequate resource management.
Panama: High access to water, but with interruptions and inequalities
In Panama, the 2023 census showed that around 95% of households have access to safe drinking water, making it one of the best performers in the region. However, service interruptions are a recurring problem, particularly in rural and indigenous areas.
The indigenous comarcas face a different reality: according to official figures, around 60% of their inhabitants do not have regular access to drinking water. This situation has led to constant civil protests in the interior of the country, with people going without water for weeks at a time and complaining of water leaks that go unnoticed by the authorities for months on end.
Guatemala and El Salvador: Pollution crisis and lack of access
In Guatemala, 90% of water sources are polluted, according to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. In addition, 70% of water resources are used by industry, mainly agriculture. Only six out of ten households have access to sanitation and drinking water. To address this crisis, the government of Bernardo Arévalo presented a draft water law in 2024, the first in the country’s history, with the aim of guaranteeing access and combating pollution.
In El Salvador, 68% of surface water is polluted and around 500,000 people do not have access to drinking water. Rural communities depend on buying water by the barrel or on natural sources, a situation exacerbated by the lack of regulation and poor distribution of water resources.
Honduras and Nicaragua: Drought vulnerability
Honduras, one of the countries most affected by climate change, faces severe water shortages in large urban centres such as Tegucigalpa, where residents pay up to five dollars for a barrel of water transported by tanker. Drought also affects food security and drives forced migration, while tropical storms damage crops and infrastructure every year.
The situation in Nicaragua is similar. Some regions are at high risk of drought, while others are prone to flooding due to phenomena such as La Niña and hurricanes, increasing the vulnerability of communities.
Costa Rica and Dominican Republic: Widespread access but treatment challenges
In Costa Rica, 92.4 per cent of the population has access to safe drinking water, but sanitation is a major challenge. According to the State of the Nation Report 2024, most water used in households is discharged untreated into water bodies or septic tanks, leading to soil contamination.
In the Dominican Republic, access to piped water is 62.7% in urban areas and 44% in rural areas. Only 26% of households have a permanent water supply. In response to this crisis, in 2023 the government signed the ‘Water Pact 2021-2036’ to improve regulation and ensure more equitable access to water resources.
A regional challenge with urgent solutions
While Central American countries face varying degrees of water crisis, Panama stands out for its high level of access to drinking water in urban areas. However, service interruptions and lack of infrastructure in indigenous comarcas reflect persistent inequalities. Efficient management and implementation of public policies are essential to guarantee access to water as a fundamental right throughout the region.
