Superaqueduct repairs in Puerto Rico conclude, gradual water service restoration begins

Repairs on Puerto Rico's critical Superaqueduct have been completed, bringing an end to a five-day disruption that left over 100,000 customers without potable water. The Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (AAA) announced that while the complex repair work is finished, the restoration of water service will be a gradual process, expected to take at least another 24 hours.

Customers in San Juan, Bayamón, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Isla Verde, Caguas, Juncos, and Aguas Buenas experienced the prolonged outage. AAA's executive president, Luis R. González Delgado, explained that final work involved concrete application to stabilize the repaired area. The system is now undergoing a controlled, gradual reopening to prevent pressure fluctuations that could cause further damage.

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After several days of continuous work, we have completed a complex repair and have already begun the process of restoring the system. Now our focus is on ensuring that every family affected by this event recovers potable water service quickly, safely, and stably.

AAA estimates that about half of the affected customers, roughly 60,000, will have their water supply restored within the next 24 hours. The full stabilization of the system is anticipated to continue progressively. During this period, the AAA is maintaining mitigation plans and collaborating with municipalities, the National Guard, and government agencies to ensure water distribution to communities still facing shortages.

González Delgado emphasized that the recent crisis underscores the urgent need to strengthen Puerto Rico's infrastructure, addressing decades of accumulated challenges. The initial problem, detected on June 10th, involved a break in the 72-inch transmission line of the Superaqueduct. During the repair process, two additional breaks were discovered, complicating the restoration efforts.

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The events of the past few days reaffirm the need we have to continue strengthening our infrastructure and to act with a sense of urgency to address the challenges and backlog accumulated over decades.