IDB – DINEPA – City Hall: In Cap-Haïtien, Water Has Become a Threat and a Public Health Emergency

In Cap-Haïtien, a city of nearly 700,000 inhabitants according to the municipality’s official website, access to safe drinking water is no longer a guarantee — it has become a public health risk. What was supposed to be a vast modernization program financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) — worth approximately US$125 million and targeting more than 250,000 households in the Greater North — is now paralyzed by administrative deadlock within Haiti’s National Directorate for Drinking Water and Sanitation (DINEPA), despite the apparent resumption of a few construction sites.

Cap-Haïtien has become a living model of institutional abandonment by DINEPA, the Ministry of Public Works, and the Ministry of Public Health.

Abandoned Construction Sites, Frozen Funds

Across Cap-Haïtien, several firms contracted under the project have been forced to suspend their operations: drilling works interrupted, pipe installation abandoned, concrete structures left unfinished, and asphalt paving halted.

According to our information, DINEPA failed to pay its contractors and did not submit the financial reports required by the IDB to unlock disbursements. As a result, funding has been frozen.

“The IDB is waiting for clear documentation, but DINEPA cannot even produce coherent financial reports. We are talking about tens of millions of dollars sitting idle while the population consumes contaminated water. This is a management collapse,” — a DINEPA technical executive told us on condition of anonymity.

When the Streets Become Channels of Contamination

Cap-Haïtien’s unsanitary conditions go far beyond visible garbage. Pollution flows through streets, ravines, wells, and household cisterns.

“When it rains in Cap-Haïtien, the streets turn into open sewage canals. Drains overflow, waste floats everywhere, and that same water ends up in people’s wells and cisterns. Water from latrines and pit toilets rises back to the surface,” a city resident testified.
Businesses, banks, and major companies are not spared either, as foul odors invade offices during the rainy season.

Water Becomes a Luxury: Buckets, Gallons, and Soaring Prices

With no reliable public network, households depend on purchased water transported by vendors.

“A bucket of water can cost between 25 and 50 gourdes depending on the neighborhood. A gallon of treated water sometimes exceeds 150 gourdes — and even then, there is no guarantee it is truly potable,” said a water vendor in Haut-du-Cap.

Access to water has thus become a heavy financial burden for the most vulnerable households.

Justinien Hospital: Infections on the Rise

At Justinien Hospital, healthcare workers report a worrying increase in illnesses linked to unsafe water.

“We regularly receive patients with vaginal infections, chronic diarrhea, skin irritations, and unexplained fevers. Many people use the same water for drinking, bathing, and cooking. The contamination is clearly reflected in medical records,” an emergency nurse explained.

These cases place additional strain on an already fragile hospital system.

Viruses and Bacteria Weakening the Population

Specialists confirm the frequent presence of pathogenic bacteria and viruses in contaminated water supplies: Endolimax nana, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Vibrio cholerae, as well as Rotavirus, which is particularly dangerous for children.

“I contracted Endolimax nana after a stay in Cap-Haïtien,” a professional disclosed.

A City Structurally Unprepared for Wastewater Management

Beyond daily mismanagement, the problem is deeply structural.

“Cap-Haïtien was urbanized without a real sanitation plan. Houses were built without drainage networks, latrines are often located near wells, and septic tanks directly infiltrate the groundwater. As long as the city’s structural design is not rethought, any drinking water production will remain vulnerable,” said an independent hydraulic engineer and consultant.

DINEPA Directly Under Fire

Institutional responsibility is increasingly being challenged by professionals in the sector.

“DINEPA can no longer hide behind technical rhetoric. It received funding, signed contracts, and had clear transparency obligations. Today, it is incapable of justifying expenditures, incapable of paying contractors, and incapable of protecting the population. This is an administrative abdication that is putting lives at risk,” said a public governance expert.

When Inefficiency Becomes a Public Danger

Every day of inaction exposes hundreds of thousands of citizens to preventable risks. Contaminated water fuels disease, increases healthcare costs, weakens families, and erodes trust in the state.

Every day of inaction exposes hundreds of thousands of citizens to preventable risks. Contaminated water fuels disease, increases healthcare costs, weakens families, and erodes trust in the state.

Brigitte Benshow