Puerto Rico Rations Water to 180,000 Properties Amid Drought
August 16, 2026 Hour: 4:58 am
Hundreds of thousands face rotating water cuts as drought and aging infrastructure put further strain on Puerto Rico’s water system.
Puerto Rico has begun rotating 48-hour water shutoffs affecting about 180,000 properties as a severe drought leaves the Carraízo reservoir nearly depleted, with authorities yet to say when the rationing will end.
The cuts affect seven regions normally supplied by the reservoir and are disrupting water service for hundreds of thousands of people. As the rationing takes effect, residents in affected areas have been lining up at water trucks sent to distribute supplies.
Puerto Rico recorded its driest July on record, while 68% of the island is currently experiencing drought conditions, according to the government. The U.S. Drought Monitor classifies conditions across most of the territory as moderate to severe.
Gov. Jenniffer González said the rationing was imposed after officials assessed conditions at the Carraízo reservoir and reviewed weather forecasts.
“This situation is beyond our control,” González said in a statement. She added that the crisis was the result of weather conditions that experts had warned about weeks earlier.
But the drought is placing additional pressure on a water system that has faced years of deteriorating infrastructure and reduced investment. Puerto Rico’s water authority says about 65% of the island’s water is lost or goes unbilled, largely because of leaks and deteriorating pipes.
Water production at key treatment plants has also declined over the years as investment fell amid an economic crisis. Experts have pointed to the combination of reduced rainfall and inadequate maintenance as a major factor behind the current crisis, saying better-maintained infrastructure would have made the effects of the drought more manageable.
The system has also been hit by failures in major pipelines. In June, a rupture disrupted service for tens of thousands of customers in the San Juan area. Although the pipe was repaired, interruptions continued.
Experts have also identified excessive sediment in reservoirs as a factor contributing to the water shortage.
Rationing has hit Puerto Rico before
Puerto Rico imposed water rationing in 2020 and 2015, when about 400,000 households received running water only once every three days.
González told CNN that wildfires are currently active in Puerto Rico and said rainfall could return after a layer of Saharan dust moves away from the Caribbean. She described the situation as difficult and said the U.S. federal government was providing assistance, without giving further details.
Authorities have not announced when the current rotating water cuts will end, leaving hundreds of thousands of residents dependent on intermittent supplies and water trucks as drought conditions persist.
TeleSur
