Wastewater is accumulating in the streets due to a breakdown in the system's pumps, putting not only the health of the population at risk, but also the reputation of Las Terrenas as an international tourist destination.
SANTO DOMINGO. -The Samaná branch of the Dominican Association of Tourism Press ( ADOMPRETUR) expressed deep concern about the serious health and environmental crisis facing the municipality of Las Terrenas, due to the collapse of the sewage system that directly affects residents, visitors and the image of the destination.
The Secretary General of ADOMPRETUR Samaná, Pedro Javier Sánchez, made an urgent appeal to the National Institute of Drinking Water and Sewerage (INAPA) and the Ministry of Tourism to act immediately and stop the progressive deterioration that threatens public health and local tourism development.
“This isn’t just a technical problem. We’re facing a social situation that affects the quality of life of hundreds of families, business owners, and tourism workers. The streets are being flooded with sewage due to the system’s pump failure, and this puts not only the health of the population at risk, but also the reputation of Las Terrenas as an international tourist destination,” Sánchez stated.
The union leader stressed that ADOMPRETUR, as an entity committed to the sustainable development of Dominican tourism, cannot remain indifferent to the deterioration of a municipality that constitutes the economic engine of the province of Samaná.
“Las Terrenas is a symbol of natural beauty and hospitality, but today it suffers the consequences of a lack of maintenance and investment in basic infrastructure. It is urgent that the authorities assume their role and guarantee real and permanent solutions to this problem, which now transcends environmental concerns and becomes a matter of human dignity,” he emphasized.
ADOMPRETUR Samaná reiterated its willingness to collaborate with the responsible institutions, but warned that the situation cannot be delayed any longer, as every day the unrest among residents increases and the concern of the tourism sector grows regarding health risks and the loss of attractiveness of the destination.
Context
The current sewage crisis in Las Terrenas is not an isolated incident . For several years, various official sources and media outlets have warned about the progressive deterioration of the sanitation infrastructure in this tourist municipality of Samaná.
Back in 2020, the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, acknowledged that in Samaná there were more than RD$1.5 billion invested in wastewater treatment plants that were not operating, a situation that evidenced serious failures in the management and maintenance of the system.
The Las Terrenas Municipal Development Plan 2023-2027 also documents the fragility of the sewage service, noting that the limited coverage and lack of connection between the network and the treatment plant create sources of pollution and risks to public health.
Throughout 2025, various local media outlets reported frequent sewage overflows in streets and commercial areas, resulting from failures in the system's pumps and the treatment plant. Residents and business owners complained of foul odors, the accumulation of raw sewage, and the negative impact on tourism.
Added to this situation is the rapid urban growth and the disorderly real estate boom that the municipality is experiencing, where the increase in construction exceeds the capacity of the existing health system, an imbalance that has caused frequent collapses and has turned a technical problem into a social and environmental conflict of great magnitude.
ADOMPRETUR Samaná justifies the call to the competent authorities for an urgent and sustainable intervention in the wastewater system of Las Terrenas, since the current situation is the result of years of institutional neglect and lack of planning.
