Puerto Rican cities hit with water rationing measures during record drought

Puerto Rico is implementing emergency water rationing measures across multiple municipalities as severe drought conditions intensify across the territory. Beginning Friday, more than 180,000 residents in San Juan and surrounding cities including Carolina, Juncos, Gurabo, Trujillo Alto, Canovanas and Loiza will experience rotating 48-hour water shutoffs with no clear end date in sight.

Governor Jenniffer Gonzalez acknowledged the crisis stems from weather patterns beyond government control, noting that dry conditions are forecast to continue through at least September. Meteorological data shows July was the driest month on record for San Juan in over 120 years, with nearly 25 percent of Puerto Rico experiencing severe drought and another 36 percent facing moderate drought conditions. Rainfall projections for the coming weeks indicate levels at least 50 percent below historical averages.

The water shortage compounds existing infrastructure challenges. Many Puerto Rican neighborhoods had already experienced water shortages for months prior to the formal rationing announcement, prompting San Juan's mayor to file suit against the Water and Sewer Authority in May. Officials have acknowledged decades of underinvestment and deferred maintenance in the island's water systems. Luis Gonzalez Delgado, president of Puerto Rico's water and sewer system, announced that large trucks would distribute potable water with priority access for hospitals and facilities serving elderly residents.

Community leaders expressed frustration with the rationing measures, noting that many residents already lack adequate water supply. The situation raises particular concerns for vulnerable populations including bedridden and elderly individuals unable to transport heavy water containers. Puerto Rico previously implemented rationing in 2020 and 2015, when some 400,000 utility customers received water only every third day.