Puerto Rico has implemented 48-hour water shutoffs due to the drought
Puerto Rican authorities have implemented rotating 48-hour water shutoffs due to severe drought and the depletion of the Carriso Reservoir. The restrictions affect seven districts that typically receive water from this reservoir and cover approximately 180,000 properties, according to BBC News.
Households on the Caribbean island have been divided into two groups: for each group, water service is cut off for 48 hours on a rotating schedule. In the capital, San Juan, the water was shut off on Friday. Authorities have not yet announced when the restrictions will end.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, most of Puerto Rico is experiencing moderate or severe drought. July was the driest on record for the island, and drought currently affects 68% of its territory.
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Puerto Rico Governor Jennifer González stated that the decision was made after assessing the condition of the Carrayso Reservoir and reviewing weather forecasts. According to her, the situation was the result of weather conditions that experts had warned about several weeks before the rationing was implemented.
After the water shutoffs began, residents of the affected areas started collecting water from tanker trucks. At the same time, some communities faced uncertainty regarding the schedule: residents of the Morcello district, south of San Juan, told local media that they did not receive water during the period when service was supposed to resume.
In addition to the lack of rainfall, long-standing infrastructure problems are affecting the water supply. The Puerto Rico Water Authority states that approximately 65% of the water produced is lost or goes unpaid, particularly due to leaks and aging pipes. Experts also point to excessive sediment buildup in reservoirs. Similar restrictions were already imposed on the island in 2020 and 2015, when about 400,000 households received water only once every three days.
