Puerto Rican cities hit with water rationing measures as record dry conditions persist
More than 180,000 customers will lose water for 48-hour stretches as drought and aging infrastructure strain the island’s supply, officials said.
- Residents in San Juan's Machuchal neighborhood and Loíza Street have endured dry pipes for over half the year, with a digital log from nearly 100 residents confirming 118 days without service as of Friday.
- Alfredo Cuyar, a community leader, attributes supply problems to management changes at the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority in 2025 and staff failure to manually operate water valves correctly.
- The AAA loses nearly 267 million gallons daily through leaks, resulting in $98 million in annual losses, while 85% of Puerto Rico faces moderate or severe drought conditions according to the Drought Monitor.
- Acosta and residents organized the coalition Exigimos Agua, staging a demonstration on Tuesday, August 4, while Governor Jenniffer Gonz announced $7 billion in infrastructure improvement projects.
- Upgrades to the Superaqueduct and two aging treatment plants—Sergio Cuevas and Enrique Ortega—aim to boost daily output by 50 million gallons, critical to ensuring economic stability in the metropolitan region.
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70 Articles
The Government activated a 48-hour cut-off plan for seven municipalities in the metropolitan area, amid the El Niño phenomenon.
Caribbean hot spot gripped by water crisis as tourists scramble to reschedule plans
Tourists in Puerto Rico are facing a water crisis. San Juan is implementing water rationing amid an intense drought, with customers facing 48-hour water outages on an alternating schedule.
Drought and aging infrastructure plunge Puerto Rico into a water crisis
Puerto Rico is facing yet another crisis as major cities are rationing water for residents due to severe drought conditions. This problem is also exposing the island’s aging water infrastructure and lack of immediate government action, leaving many frustrated. For more on how families are coping and what officials are saying, Deema Zein spoke with investigative reporter Laura Perez Sanchez.
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