Puerto Rico will begin rotating water rationing on Friday, leaving more than 180,000 people without water for 48 hours at a time in San Juan and other major cities. The measures will also affect neighbourhoods in Carolina, Juncos, Gurabo, Trujillo Alto, Canovanas and Loiza.
Governor Jenniffer Gonzalez said the worsening conditions were beyond the government’s control and that she did not know how long the rationing would last. The shortages are unfolding amid extreme heat warnings and a drought with no immediate relief forecast.
At a glance:
- Nearly 25 percent of Puerto Rico is experiencing severe drought, while another 36 percent is under moderate drought, according to the US Drought Monitor.
- San Juan recorded its driest July in more than 120 years and its second-hottest July on record.
- The National Weather Service in San Juan expects rainfall over the next two to three weeks to be at least 50 percent below average.
Where the water cuts will apply
The rationing will cover San Juan and selected neighbourhoods in Carolina, Juncos, Gurabo, Trujillo Alto, Canovanas and Loiza. Residents will lose access for 48-hour periods on a rotating basis rather than facing a territory-wide shutdown.
Related coverage: Severe weather brings flash floods, tornado warnings, and power cuts to north-east US.
Luis Gonzalez Delgado, president of Puerto Rico’s Water and Sewer Authority, said trucks would distribute potable water. Hospitals and residences for older people will receive priority, an important safeguard for people who cannot carry heavy containers.
Why the drought is worsening shortages
Maria Novoa Garcia, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Juan, said dry conditions would probably continue until September. She forecast rainfall at least 50 percent below average over the next two to three weeks and said El Niño was continuing to strengthen.
The water crisis is not caused by drought alone. Some Puerto Ricans have faced shortages for up to a year, and San Juan Mayor Miguel Romero sued the island’s Water and Sewer Authority in late May over the lack of water. Gonzalez has acknowledged that the system’s infrastructure went decades without sufficient investment and maintenance.
Residents say shortages predate the announcement
Marcia Soler Paris, a 61-year-old community leader, said her neighbourhood had already endured severe shortages for months, making the new schedule difficult to prepare for. She said older and bedridden residents were especially vulnerable because they may be unable to transport water to their homes.
Puerto Rico has previously imposed rationing, including in 2020 and 2015. During the 2015 measures, about 400,000 utility customers received water only every third day.
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