Browse Honduras Daily Stories

Tegucigalpa's water utility UMAPS set up WhatsApp lines (9408-3544 and 9398-7054) for residents to report leaks and water waste, as the capital faces a daily shortfall of 69,000 cubic meters and nearly half the water supplied never reaches homes due to system failures.

Residents of Honduras's capital pay an average of L37 (about $1.48) per month for water service, a rate the public utility says is too low to fund infrastructure upgrades needed to improve supply and reduce service interruptions.

Tegucigalpa's water utility recovered 153 million lempiras (about $6.1 million) in overdue accounts between March and June, though total arrears exceed 1.8 billion lempiras, with domestic customers owing the largest share.

Honduras's capital water utility sanctioned seven people for misusing potable water during an ongoing shortage, imposing fines up to 20,000 lempiras (about $800) for excessive use in homes and businesses.

Tegucigalpa's water authority (UMAPS) is conducting inspections and levying fines of 1,000–5,000 lempiras for misuse of drinking water during an emergency water shortage, including bans on garden watering and other non-essential uses.

The capital's water authority has shifted to a once-weekly distribution schedule for thousands of residents served by the Los Laureles and La Concepción reservoirs, which have fallen below 50% capacity, with July and August forecast as the most critical months.