The challenge of managing water resources is compounded by Panama’s population increase.
“We can’t guarantee good water quality if we only depend on one source for a growing population,” Banfield said. “Panama cannot depend solely on the Panama Canal Authority. There should be a more comprehensive approach. We need to diversify our water sources. It rains for 10 months a year.”
Banfield has called for the establishment of a water governing body separate from the Canal Authority.
“In Panama, water is treated as a resource for business and commerce, including the canal. But water should also be seen as a common good that benefits society as a whole,” she said. “The government needs to oversee the equitable distribution of water for different uses like agriculture, tourism, and consumption. Right now, the issue is that all these activities are competing for the same resource.”
Banfield’s vision extends beyond merely managing bodies of water to more comprehensive conservation efforts that would include land resources, and a plan that would look beyond short-term economics.
“We cannot just keep exploiting natural resources for short-term gains,” Banfield said. “I believe that there is a lot to work on in terms of awareness not only for citizens but also our authorities. What’s the limit of the planet? We have limits on rainwater. We can’t grow forever.”
Harley Mitchell is an expert in environmental and administrative law. From his office in Panama City, Mitchell can see ships waiting to cross the canal, a constant reminder of the role it plays in global trade. In spite of calls for a new governing system for Panama’s water, Mitchell said the Canal Authority still holds a dominant position.
Mitchell argues that the Canal Authority’s vast influence means that other organizations in Panama struggle to compete. He said he believes the Canal Authority should work more closely with the Maritime Authority and the Ministry of Environment. A more coordinated approach could not only improve transit in the Panama Canal but also enhance the management of the country’s broader waterways.
“We can appreciate the know-how of the Canal Authority in the rest of the country,” Mitchell said. “The Canal Authority could share their knowledge about water management, water use and environmental management in a watershed with the Ministry of Environment, the Maritime Authority, and other institutions. Panama is full of watersheds, but they don’t have the level of management that the Panama Canal watershed has.”
According to the Panamanian Constitution, “The Panama Canal Authority, in coordination with other government agencies as established by the Law, shall be responsible for the administration, maintenance, use and conservation of the water resources of the Panama Canal watershed, which include the waters of the lakes and their tributary streams.”
One of the solutions the Canal Authority has come up with is creating controversy: the Rio Indio Project involves building a dam to capture more water. The project will come with a human cost. Some people will be displaced from their generational homes along the river. A resettlement program is aimed at providing new homes and higher living standards, but many locals say it does not compensate for the loss of deeply-rooted connections to the land.
Looking ahead, Mitchell said he believes the need for long-term planning is essential.
“Sooner or later we must address the reality that the Panama Canal as a business must grow, but we must address the issue that the environment doesn’t grow,” he said. “[W]e can expect that new technologies and new forms to manage water will be needed in the decades to come to keep the canal open without more problems and safe for everyone and so that no more people will have to sacrifice themselves for the sake of the canal.”