By Fátima Jiménez Quirós

Transit director indicates that intermittent closures cause traffic jams on the Circunvalación highway. Confirms that the presence of traffic officers and officials from the Public Force has been reinforced to prevent blockades.

Residents of Los Hatillos, in San José, claim that the AyA has not fulfilled the commitment to restore water supply. Therefore, they are staging protests that affect the flow of vehicles, mainly on the Circunvalación highway. (Alexandra Gelot via social media)
The traffic of vehicles on the Circunvalación highway, passing through the Hatillos sector, has been affected Monday morning due to the intermittent closures carried out by residents protesting the suspension of the drinking water service.

Oswaldo Miranda, director of Traffic Police, confirmed that the traffic jams caused by the demonstrators forced the reinforcement of traffic officers and officials from the Public Force since 9 a.m.

Miranda indicated that, although the closures are of short duration, the protesters were warned that if they blocked the roads again, they would have to “proceed differently”.

At 10 a.m., the road was open but there was a significant congestion. According to Miranda, “if they close the passage for five minutes, that already generates a significant queue.”

According to testimonies from residents, some have been without water service for up to four days. In several residences, the supply lasts only an hour before being interrupted.

This situation also affects educational centers. For example, this Monday, students from the Colegio Técnico Profesional (CTP) in Hatillo will finish classes at 11:20 a.m., as the institution could not prepare lunch due to lack of water.

Neighbors also used objects to block the passage on the public road. (Alonso Tenorio)
Why is there no water in Hatillo?
According to a statement issued by the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA), the climatic phenomenon El Niño caused a decrease in water sources, which directly affected the systems of the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM).

Despite this, the entity assured that efforts are being made to distribute water equitably. According to AyA, in Los Hatillos, water supply should start every day at 4 a.m., and from that time on, everyone would have access to the resource until it runs out.

“Additionally, we have sent tankers to the communities to distribute drinking water, but due to the street closures, the vehicles have not been able to move,” the Institute stated.

-News from the newspaper La Nacion-
Reference