SAN JUAN — Puerto Rico has begun rotating water shutoffs affecting more than 180,000 customers as severe drought conditions push reservoirs to critically low levels, intensifying a water crisis across parts of the U.S. territory.
The rationing program began Friday in seven municipalities served by the Carraízo reservoir, including San Juan, Carolina, Trujillo Alto, Canóvanas, Gurabo, Juncos and Loíza. Customers in affected areas are being placed on alternating 48-hour periods without water, according to the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA).
Governor Jenniffer González has said the duration of the restrictions remains uncertain because weather conditions could worsen. The current program is expected to remain in effect at least through the end of August, according to officials.
The crisis follows an exceptionally dry July. San Juan recorded its driest July in more than 120 years, while nearly 68% of Puerto Rico was experiencing drought conditions, according to data cited by Reuters. The U.S. Drought Monitor reported that almost one-quarter of the island was in severe drought and another 36% was experiencing moderate drought.
Federal drought monitoring officials said in a July 23 update that falling surface and groundwater levels had already prompted water rationing for agricultural users in southern and southwestern Puerto Rico and for residents in parts of the northeast. The agency said forecasts showed a greater than 70% probability of below-normal precipitation and above-normal temperatures from August through October.
Forecasters have linked the worsening dry conditions in part to a strengthening El Niño, which is expected to reduce the frequency of tropical waves and cyclones that normally contribute rainfall to the Caribbean. Drought conditions are forecast to persist or worsen into the fall.
PRASA has said water trucks will prioritize hospitals, nursing homes and other essential facilities. The authority has also urged residents to conserve water during periods when service is available and to boil water as a precaution when supplies resume.
The drought is aggravating longstanding problems in Puerto Rico's water system. Government officials have acknowledged aging infrastructure and previous service interruptions unrelated to the drought, while local officials and residents have raised concerns about maintenance and reliability.
For now, authorities are maintaining the rotating rationing schedule as reservoir levels remain under pressure, with forecasts offering little immediate prospect of sustained rainfall.
