Puerto Ricans hit with water shortages
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- Thousands of Puerto Ricans, especially in San Juan, are facing severe water shortages, prompting the governor to activate the National Guard and emergency responders to distribute water.
- The water crisis stems from decades of underinvestment and maintenance issues in the island’s water infrastructure, affecting about 40,000 customers as of early June.
- Residents are forced to buy potable water, use laundromats, and carry heavy water containers, with vulnerable groups like the elderly and disabled suffering the most, some even requiring hospitalization.
- San Juan’s mayor has sued the island’s Water and Sewer Authority, and a judge has ordered an expert committee to investigate the chronic shortages, amid political blame and leadership changes within the agency.
- Despite a recent $217 million investment to address water infrastructure, many residents continue to experience outages and are still being billed for water they do not receive, fueling public outrage.