It’s Official: Jaltemba Bay Moving Forward on New Well
Tara A. Spears
One year ago, August 2015, I reported on the failed water test for the main Guayabitos/Los Ayalas water well. Recently the state officials have officially moved forward by approving the funding for replacing the defective well (lead photos). Director of the state water management in Compostella, Baltazar Urzua said, “On behalf of staff of the state commission of water (CONAGUA) and the auxiliary authorities (town managers of various services), we announce the investment of more than 2 million pesos for drilling and equipping of new drinking water well to include installing electromagnetic equipment. Thanks to our friend Nayarit Governor Roberto Sandoval for the support for our project.” This is great news for residents and visitors alike.
Other good news in the water/sewer service saga: at the time of the issuance of 2015 printed bills for delinquent accounts, the approximate amount of properties that were current was 38%. The account clerk at the La Penita office SIAPA (water and sewer management department in Spanish) said that in August 2016 the paid up accounts are approximately 70% of properties current! I applaud the efforts of SIAPA management and other municipal departments to address this issue of non-payment even though some of the locals were critical of the change in policy. (The backstory is that SIAPA imitated shut off of services for non-payment for the first time in community history….. of course the non-payees complained.) Now that revenue is improving, SIAPA is able to better maintain service, as demonstrated by ongoing work in La Penita.
As executive secretary to the director of SIAPA La Penita, Miriam Guitron, explained, “Thirty years ago the needs and size of the community were much smaller. Various managers allowed some policy to exist that now causes problems for the current administrators.” She also said that the department is aware of the brown water problem in Guayabitos but that it is the state and federal government that has to okay –and pay- for the solution. Yes, all of the studies of the Guayabitos well conclusively state the need for a new well. Miriam said that the SIAPA office is the place to come to tell of a water leak or any municipal water/sewer problem, in addition to paying your bill. The office is open 8:00 am until 2:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Telephone 327-274-0518. Although a couple of the clerks (Miriam included) use google translate on their cell phones to help the gringos, be prepared to interact in Spanish. Located one street south of the main avenida, the SIAPA office is on Calle Estaban Calderon #79.
Guayabitos town magistrate, Octaviano Figueroa, is one of the local administrator that has worked for several years to correct the water quality, storm drainage system, and sewage treatment for Guayabitos. “We have the hope that this work continues to completely solve the problem of flooding and sewage pollution in Guayabitos.” He recently attended the meeting with state, federal and local water agencies worked on addressing the problems. It was at this meeting that funding was approved. Also at this meeting a written “Controlaria Social was determined. The definition of controlaria social is set of actions taken by citizens individually or with organizations to actively participate in the monitoring and control of government actions. (Creating a controlaria social) thereby raises the fulfillment of the commitments of the entities of the three levels of government; enhances credibility and trust of society in public administration; as well as modifying the perception about corruption and opacity in programs run by government institutions.” In simpler terms, the agencies agreed on a plan and how to implement it.
Poco a poco-little by little- progress is being made to improve the infrastructure of Jaltemba Bay to create a better quality of life for residents and visitors. Many thanks goes to those that are working for the solution!