SAN JUAN — Puerto Rico began rotating water rationing on Friday, leaving more than 180,000 customer accounts without running water for periods of at least 48 hours as a severe drought drains reservoirs and threatens supplies across the U.S. territory.
The Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority has divided affected communities into two zones that alternate between water service and outages. The current phase covers San Juan and parts of Carolina, Juncos, Gurabo, Trujillo Alto, Canóvanas and Loíza, all areas supplied by the critically low Carraízo reservoir.
Authorities said the rationing is expected to continue at least through the end of August, although Governor Jenniffer González has said the duration remains uncertain. Officials have also warned that outages could last longer if conditions deteriorate.
“This situation is out of our hands,” González said in a statement, attributing the crisis to the climate conditions facing the island.
San Juan recorded its driest July on record, according to the National Weather Service. The U.S. Drought Monitor reported that a substantial portion of Puerto Rico was experiencing drought, with conditions ranging from moderate to severe. Federal drought officials said the region had dried significantly during May, June and July, contributing to critically low water levels and restrictions affecting residents and farmers.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has forecast a greater than 70% chance of below-normal rainfall and above-normal temperatures for Puerto Rico from August through October, raising the prospect of continued pressure on water supplies.
The drought is compounding longstanding problems in Puerto Rico’s water system, including aging infrastructure, maintenance needs and water losses. Residents in some communities had reported repeated outages even before the new rationing program began.
The water authority said it would deploy tanker trucks to affected communities, prioritizing hospitals and long-term care facilities. It has urged residents to conserve water during service periods and avoid nonessential uses such as washing cars and watering lawns. The agency also advised residents to boil water for at least three minutes after service resumes as a precaution against possible contamination.
The rationing will remain in place while authorities monitor reservoir levels and weather conditions, with officials yet to announce an end date.
