Water Crisis Deepens in Puerto Rico

The severe drinking water crisis in San Juan, Puerto Rico, is worsening, and is not limited to the old colonial city but also affects other municipalities across the country. However, San Juan has become the focus of public opinion due to the high influx of tourists who come to the city as part of Caribbean cruise itineraries, as well as for summer concerts, such as the upcoming Bad Bunny shows.

The water shortage that began on July 24 is not only affecting tourism, but also other types of businesses, many of which have recently decided to temporarily close or reduce their activities, dealing a major blow to an already struggling economy.

“And to talk about the damage to Puerto Rico’s reputation as a tourist destination caused by the fact that we have been without water since Thursday … It seems that the government is not realizing what Old San Juan is,” said Juan Fernández, vice president of the Old San Juan Merchants Association.

Why is there no water?

Much criticism is directed at the new state management of the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (AAA). The AAA, for its part, has defended itself by stating that the problem is a breakdown at the Sergio Cuevas water plant, which transports the vital liquid from the Carraízo dam in Trujillo Alto.

The crisis was further complicated when a 54-inch diameter pipe broke in Sergio Cuevas, leaving more than 183,000 people without water. The crisis has led to the Isla Verde International Airport having to be supplied 30 times a day by tanker trucks.

For his part, the mayor of San Juan, Miguel Romero Lugo, of the New Progressive Party (PNP), expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation: “What is happening in San Juan is unacceptable: thousands of families have been without access to such a basic service as drinking water for weeks.”

For this reason, on July 28, Romero Lugo signed a declaration of a state of emergency for the city, hoping to expeditiously use the resources of the mayor’s office: “Water service is an essential and basic need, not a privilege; we are declaring a state of emergency to act urgently and with the weight of the legal tools available to support the affected communities.”

Who is to blame?

The AAA described the cause as an accident. However, others disagree. Puerto Rico’s governor, Jenniffer González, said that the real cause is that the pipes are very old and have not been properly maintained. She also pointed out that several private contractors broke agreements to maintain and secure the water supply to different municipalities in the country.

“There have been too many situations affecting the drinking water service in Puerto Rico. We must remember that most of these facilities have not been maintained for many years. I am not going to assign blame. The reality is that the maintenance of many of these pipes, which are more than 30 years old in some cases, is beginning to show signs of wear and tear,” said González.

González ordered the mobilization of the National Guard to assist in operations to restore water to the island.

AAA Executive President Luis González Delgado said on July 29 that 98% of households already had water, which was quickly refuted by thousands of families who still lack this essential resource. This sparked an avalanche of criticism and calls for him to resign.

When asked if she would fire the AAA president, the governor was reluctant to give a definitive answer: “Right now, I want people to have water, and I have to focus on solving the problem. Are we going to evaluate everyone? Of course, I’m going to evaluate everyone, but I need people to have water. And the important thing right now is that the 3,000-plus families in the metropolitan area who still don’t have a connection get one.”

Courtesy: Peoples Dispatch