Millions of gallons vanish as Puerto Rico braces for water crisis

Millions of gallons vanish as Puerto Rico braces for water crisis Puerto Rico will implement water rationing measures in San Juan and other major cities as a drought grips the U.S. territory with no relief in sight - Bookmark More than 180,000 water customers in Puerto Rico will begin rotating water shutoffs this week as a worsening drought grips the U.S. territory, with officials warning there is no immediate relief in sight. Beginning Friday, residents in parts of San Juan and several surrounding municipalities will lose running water for up to 48 hours at a time under a rotating rationing schedule as reservoirs continue to shrink. Gov. Jenniffer González said the government has few options as dry conditions worsen. "This situation is out of our hands," González said Tuesday. "Nothing prevents this from worsening." The crisis follows San Juan's driest July in more than 120 years and its fourth-hottest July on record. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, nearly one-quarter of Puerto Rico is now in severe drought, while another 36% is experiencing moderate drought. National Weather Service hydrologist Emanuel Rodríguez said Puerto Rico often receives heavy rain later in the Atlantic hurricane season, but warned there is no guarantee that pattern will repeat this year. The rationing will affect neighborhoods in San Juan, Carolina, Juncos, Gurabo, Trujillo Alto, Canóvanas and Loíza. Officials have not said how long the restrictions will remain in place, with forecasters warning dry conditions could continue into September. Luis González Delgado, president of Puerto Rico's Aqueduct and Sewer Authority, said water trucks will be deployed to deliver drinking water, with hospitals and facilities serving older residents receiving priority. For many Puerto Ricans, however, the drought has only made an existing problem worse. Thousands of residents have reported unreliable water service for months — and in some cases more than a year — because of ongoing problems with the island's aging water system. Marcia Soler París, a 61-year-old community leader, said her neighborhood has been dealing with severe shortages for months, making the new rationing plan feel meaningless. "It's chaos," she said. "It's truly pitiful." She said older and bedridden residents face the greatest hardship because many are unable to carry heavy buckets of water. The island's struggling water infrastructure has become a growing political issue. San Juan Mayor Miguel Romero sued Puerto Rico's Aqueduct and Sewer Authority in May over longstanding water shortages, while González has acknowledged decades of underinvestment and poor maintenance have left the system vulnerable. Puerto Rico also imposed widespread water rationing during severe droughts in 2020 and 2015, when roughly 400,000 customers received water only once every three days.