Puerto Rico is struggling with a water access emergency, as residents experience widespread service interruptions, low water pressure, and failures to the potable supply. The problem is not limited to drought, but also administrative incompetence and lack of awareness of the climate crisis, according to Juan Dalamau, a member of the Puerto Rican Independence Party.

Administrative Incompetence and Climate Crisis

The country’s water problem is not just about drought, but also about the irresponsibility of the Popular Party and New Progressive Party governments, Dalamau said. The absence of awareness of the climate crisis that Puerto Rico has faced is also a major factor. The San Juan Municipal Office for Emergency Management reported 3,074 water-emergency-related cases between June 1 and 13, with 2,152 cases still pending.

The municipality has access to 55 tanker trucks to deliver drinking water, with 35 currently addressing immediate distribution efforts. Seventeen additional tanker trucks have been made available due to support from nearby municipalities. San Juan Mayor Miguel A. Romero Lugo said the city is working to support communities during this drinking water emergency.

Urbanization Developments Pose Risk to Water Access

Large urbanization developments, such as Esencia and Moncayo, are adding strain to the already unreliable water supply. These developments bring heavy construction, which may be contributing to the large presence of sinkholes on the island, according to Nelie Lebron Robles, an at-large member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives.

The Puerto Rican Independence Party is proposing a number of short-to-medium term measures to address the water crisis, including the depoliticization of the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority, the creation of water reserves, and the development of a reforestation plan.

Original reporting: The Washington Informer — read the source article.