Puerto Rico has begun implementing drastic water rationing measures across its capital, San Juan, and six other municipalities, impacting over 180,000 customer accounts. Residents in affected areas will experience water shut-offs for at least 48 hours at a time, with warnings that these outages could extend to 72 hours. This comes after July marked San Juan's driest month in over 120 years and its second hottest on record. Approximately 36% of Puerto Rico is currently experiencing a severe drought, with another 32% facing moderate drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
The crisis is not solely due to the weather; it is significantly compounded by decades of underinvestment, deferred maintenance, and an aging water infrastructure. Puerto Rico's water authority reports that roughly 65% of the water it produces is lost or goes unbilled, largely due to leaks and old pipes. This substantial loss means that out of 90 million gallons extracted daily in some areas, only 65 million gallons reach the system, highlighting a critical inefficiency.
While Governor Jenniffer González has acknowledged years of neglect, she has primarily attributed the current problem to severe weather conditions, stating, "This situation is out of our hands." The government has not indicated when the rationing will end. This is not the first time the island has faced such measures; rationing was also implemented in 2020 and in 2015, when 400,000 utility customers received water only every third day. Residents have expressed frustration, with some communities in San Juan reporting 118 days of intermittent water outages even before the official rationing began, leading to increased spending on bottled water for low-income residents and challenges for the elderly.
