Over 500,000 in Puerto Rico face water rationing amid worst drought in a decade

Puerto Rico is grappling with its most severe drought in ten years, forcing the government to implement water rationing for over 500,000 residents. Starting Friday, seven municipalities will experience 48-hour water service interruptions as the island's primary reservoir, Carraízo, reaches critically low levels.

The Carraízo reservoir, located in Trujillo Alto near San Juan, has fallen below 38 meters, entering a phase of "operational adjustments." This marks the first major drought since 2015. The rationing plan affects approximately 183,000 households and businesses across San Juan, Trujillo Alto, Carolina, Canóvanas, Loíza, Gurabo, and Juncos.

Conditions have deteriorated significantly, with drought impacting 80% of Puerto Rico. The southern strip of the central and western regions is experiencing extreme drought. July was the driest month on record since 1899, receiving only 0.54 inches of rain, a mere 9% of the normal amount. "I suspect this will go on for a long time," said Elena Cabrera, a metropolitan area resident, who was buying bottled water for elderly neighbors.

Cabrera expressed frustration, partly blaming the current government, past administrations, and the Aqueducts and Sewers Authority (AAA) for "poor decisions" regarding the water system. To mitigate the crisis, the AAA has established 35 water "oases" in affected areas and divided the rationing schedule into two zones. Zone 1 was scheduled to receive water on Friday and Saturday, with a cutoff on Sunday, while Zone 2 experienced supply interruptions starting at 6:00 AM local time on Friday. However, residents in Zone 1 faced further delays due to a previous breakdown, awaiting tank refills before potable water could be restored.