Puerto Rico rations water amid drought, infrastructure problems
Tens of thousands in Puerto Rico woke up without running water as authorities imposed a mandatory rationing program amid a severe drought.
Federal agencies are working with officials in Puerto Rico as the island contends with a water crisis that has left tens of thousands of residents without running water for days at a time, Puerto Rico Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón said on Aug. 9.
The U.S. territory imposed a rationing program that shut off water service in the capital of San Juan and its surrounding neighborhoods for 48 hour intervals, according to Puerto Rico’s Aqueduct and Sewer Authority. Officials say more than 180,000 households were being impacted by the program, which began on Aug. 7.
The rationing comes as Puerto Rico grapples with persistent drought conditions, unusually hot temperatures and long-standing infrastructure problems.
At a news conference, González-Colón said the federal government is assisting authorities across the island manage the crisis. She added that a “drought committee” has been established, as well as an “interagency support plan for municipalities” across the territory.
Officials on the island have deployed portable water tankers to communities, allowing residents to fill up containers and plastic jugs while their service is cut off. Hospitals and other essential services were being prioritized, officials said.
Authorities in Puerto Rico have not provided a timeline of they expect the rationing program to end. The challenging weather conditions are expected to continue for several weeks, meteorologists said.
July was the driest month on record for San Juan in more than a century, according to the National Weather Service. Most of the island is suffering from moderate to extreme drought conditions as of Aug. 4, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Below-normal rainfall and above-normal temperatures are expected to continue through October, according to an outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Forecasters blame the weather pattern on a strengthening El Niño, which is suppressing tropical waves that typically bring heavy rains to the island.
Puerto Rico has struggled with water and power outages for years due to crumbling infrastructure. The persistent issues have led residents and municipal leaders across the territory to file lawsuits against the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority over chronic water outages.
Contributing: Reuters