- Due to the ongoing drought, residents in areas of San Juan will face water rationing from 48 hours to 180,000 gallons of water per day.
- Residents in the Carolina, Juncos, Gurabo, Trujillo Alto, Canovanas and Loiza areas may be affected; no specific term has been given.
- Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González said the situation is under control, but that it is still unclear how long the water shortage will last for residents.
Puerto Rico is set to impose water rationing in San Juan due to the ongoing drought in the island’s largest cities, AP reports via The Independent.
Due to the ongoing drought, residents in the Carolina, Juncos, Gurabo, Trujillo Alto, Canovanas and Loiza areas will face water rationing, with 180,000 gallons of water per day. Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González said the situation is under control, but that it is still unclear how long the water shortage will last for residents.
Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González said the situation is under control, but that it is still unclear how long it will last. She noted that the water shortage could be caused by a delay in precipitation, adding that it is not yet known when the situation will improve.
According to the authorities, the forecast is that the drought will worsen, and that the water supply will be limited. The U.S. Drought Monitor indicates that more than 36% of the area is experiencing severe drought conditions.
Hidrologist Emanuel Rodríquez of the National Weather Service said that the reason for the drought is the lack of rainfall, which is expected to continue through the Atlantic hurricane season, and that it is too early to say when the situation will improve. He added that the 2026 hurricane season could bring some relief.
President of the Puerto Rico water and sewer system, Luis González Delgado, said that water will be distributed to residents, but that the exact schedule has not yet been determined. He noted that the water shortage is expected to continue for some time, and that the authorities are working to ensure uninterrupted supply.
In the meantime, Marcia Soler Parés, who heads the water authority’s emergency response unit, said that the plan is aimed at ensuring that residents receive water for their daily needs. She also said that the water supply will be restored as soon as possible.
It was also reported that Puerto Rico’s water rationing began in 2020 after a drought that affected the island from 2015, and that nearly 400,000 customers were left without water for three days.