SAN JUAN — Puerto Rico has begun rotating water shut-offs affecting more than 180,000 customers as an intense drought pushes reservoirs to critically low levels, forcing authorities to ration supplies in the capital and several surrounding municipalities.
The Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority began the 48-hour rotating interruptions on Friday, with affected communities receiving water for alternating 48-hour periods. The initial phase covers parts of San Juan and neighborhoods in Carolina, Juncos, Gurabo, Trujillo Alto, Canóvanas and Loíza, according to authorities.
The government said the rationing is expected to continue at least through the end of August, although Governor Jenniffer González-Colón said the duration could not yet be determined. She declared a state of emergency on July 31 over the drought and falling reservoir levels.
“This situation is out of our hands,” González-Colón said last week, attributing the shortages to prevailing climate conditions.
The Carraízo reservoir, which supplies much of the San Juan metropolitan area, is at critically low levels, authorities said. The National Weather Service reported that San Juan recorded its driest July in more than 120 years. The U.S. Drought Monitor said as of Aug. 4 that nearly 25% of Puerto Rico was experiencing severe drought, while another 36% was under moderate drought.
Weather conditions are expected to remain unfavorable. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's August-to-October outlook puts the probability of below-normal rainfall and above-normal temperatures in Puerto Rico at more than 70%, with a strengthening El Niño pattern expected to suppress some of the tropical systems that normally bring rainfall.
Authorities have begun deploying water trucks to affected communities, prioritizing hospitals and facilities serving older people. The water authority has also advised residents to conserve supplies during periods when service is available and avoid non-essential uses such as washing cars and watering lawns. Residents have been urged to boil water for at least three minutes after service resumes as a precaution against possible contamination.
The drought is compounding longer-running water-service problems. San Juan's mayor sued the water authority in May over chronic shortages, while the governor has acknowledged longstanding deficiencies in infrastructure investment and maintenance.
Puerto Rico has imposed water rationing during previous droughts, including in 2015 and 2020. Officials are now coordinating with federal agencies and municipalities as the current rationing program continues through August.
