Bávaro-Punta Cana is among the priority areas included in the Dominican Republic’s Universal Sanitation Program for Coastal and Tourism Cities, an initiative that will also cover Higüey, La Romana, San Pedro de Macorís and Boca Chica.
The program, led by the National Institute of Drinking Water and Sewerage (INAPA) with support from the Inter-American Development Bank, is intended to modernize sanitation infrastructure in major eastern cities and tourism zones. Construction has already begun on the first phase in Boca Chica, where a new sanitary sewer system is underway.
According to INAPA, the broader initiative is expected to directly benefit more than one million people across Boca Chica, San Pedro de Macorís, La Romana, Higüey and Verón-Punta Cana.
Bávaro-Punta Cana plans include water supply, sewerage and water reuse
In Bávaro-Punta Cana, the program extends beyond wastewater collection and treatment. Authorities have announced plans for new water-supply infrastructure, a sanitary sewer network and a system to reuse treated water.
Previous information released by INAPA indicates that the project is designed to support the reuse of wastewater at approximately 570 hotels and 61,000 households in the Punta Cana-Bávaro area. The initiative is part of a broader sustainability strategy for one of the Caribbean’s most important tourism destinations.
The national program also aims to protect approximately 140 kilometers of coastline through interventions in Boca Chica, San Pedro de Macorís, La Romana, Higüey and Punta Cana-Bávaro.
Boca Chica project marks the first stage
The most recent progress has been reported in Boca Chica, where construction has formally started on a new sanitary sewer system.
The project includes about 250 kilometers of pipelines, replacement of existing networks, eight pumping stations, pressure lines, main collectors, a wastewater treatment plant and a submarine outfall.
Authorities estimate that the works will benefit approximately 220,000 residents in Boca Chica, Andrés and La Caleta.
To limit disruption in heavily traveled areas, the project includes the use of microtunneling technology. The method allows pipelines to be installed underground with less need for extensive open-surface excavation.
Next phases expected across the eastern region
The start of construction in Boca Chica represents the first major step in a program expected to expand to other eastern communities, including the rapidly growing urban and tourism areas of Bávaro-Punta Cana and Verón, as well as Higüey, La Romana and San Pedro de Macorís.
For Verón-Punta Cana, INAPA has identified a third phase involving sewerage, water supply and treated-water reuse as part of the national sanitation strategy for coastal and tourism cities.
The initiative is particularly significant for Bávaro-Punta Cana, where rapid population growth, urban expansion and hotel development have increased pressure on water supply and wastewater-management systems. Authorities aim to ensure that the continued growth of the East’s principal tourism centers is supported by infrastructure capable of protecting coastal areas, reducing pollution and improving living conditions for residents and visitors.
