Widespread water outages cripple Puerto Rico, including tourist hubs

Puerto Rico is grappling with a severe water crisis, with hundreds of thousands of people affected by outages in San Juan and other towns. Tourist hotspots like Old San Juan are experiencing significant disruptions, forcing businesses to close and residents to seek water from communal sources and trucks.

“

Closed due to lack of water. We apologize for the inconvenience.

The crisis began on June 10 when a break was detected in the 72-inch pipe of the Superaqueduct. While initial repairs were underway, two additional breaks were discovered. The latest, described as a "major failure," is undergoing repairs, but the Puerto Rico Aqueducts and Sewers Authority (AAA) warns that full service restoration may take up to 48 hours.

“

It's a tough process that we are going through. Not only for us, but for the entire industry and hospitality. The loss of money it's causing is ugly. But hey, you can survive anything, lend a hand and help each other.

Businesses in the tourism sector are facing substantial financial losses. "It's a tough process that we are going through. Not only for us, but for the entire industry and hospitality. The loss of money it's causing is ugly. But hey, you can survive anything, lend a hand and help each other," Alexis Durán, a Venezuelan resident in Puerto Rico for 23 years, told EFE.

“

This is truly... it has gotten out of hand... there's no way to put it.

The water shortage has also impacted essential services and cultural institutions. The Museum of Contemporary Art and the San Juan Art League have suspended activities, including a summer camp for 115 children. In poorer neighborhoods like La Perla, elderly residents are struggling to access water, with Pastor Noel Vega lamenting the lack of official assistance.

“

There is no one to blame... but it has to be resolved.