Puerto Rico to begin water rationing amid record drought in San Juan

Puerto Rico is implementing water rationing measures for more than 180,000 customers across San Juan and neighboring communities as the U.S. territory grapples with a severe drought. Residents have faced unreliable water access for over 100 days, with the rationing set to begin Friday morning.

“

This situation is out of our hands

The plan involves alternating 48-hour water supply periods for affected customers. The rationing will impact parts of San Juan, Carolina, Juncos, Gurabo, Trujillo Alto, Canovanas, and Loiza. Government officials have not provided an end date for the restrictions and warn that they could be extended to 72-hour periods. Governor Jenniffer González attributed the crisis to weather conditions, stating, "Nothing prevents this from worsening."

July marked a historic low for rainfall in San Juan, recording just 0.54 inches, the driest July in over 120 years. The capital also experienced its second-hottest July on record. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, nearly 25% of Puerto Rico is under severe drought conditions, with an additional 36% experiencing moderate drought. Meteorologists predict dry conditions will persist until at least September, with rainfall in the coming weeks expected to be significantly below average.

“

Nothing prevents this from worsening.

In response, large trucks will distribute potable water, with priority given to hospitals and residences for the elderly. Tania Conde Sterling, president of Puerto Rico's Association of Health Services Administrators, urged calm, assuring that hospitals are prepared for the rationing with established protocols. The drought exacerbates an ongoing water crisis, with many families already enduring months of intermittent service, low pressure, and complete outages.

“

We do not improvise at hospitals. We have manuals of rules and procedures, as well as protocols for every type of scenario.