Drought Crisis in Puerto Rico

A drought has forced the island's government to ration water. It's become so bad that the government is actually turning off tap water in people's homes, sometimes for days at a time

A drought has forced the island's government to ration water. It's become so bad that the government is actually turning off tap water in people's homes, sometimes for days at a time. The main tourist areas, however, are exempt for now.

t's easy to blame this problem on the hot, dry weather, but Puerto Ricans say that isn't the only culprit. They believe the government has mismanaged the island's water supply and pipes for years.

Juan Camacho's home will have running water for a day and then no water at all for the following two days. He lives in Trujillo Alto, a town that is a mere 13 miles from downtown San Juan, the capital.

When the water comes back on, many Puerto Ricans like Camacho keep the faucets running for hours, filling up cans, bowls and bins with water.

Temperatures in Trujillo Alto hit 91 degrees Fahrenheit Monday.

Camacho, a social activist, says the government has poorly maintained the local reservoir in his area, causing dirt to get in the reservoir, thus making the water undrinkable.

"We have a big drought problem," says Camacho, 68. "We are saving water -- not just for drinking -- but for bathing and other fundamental things."

This isn't Puerto Rico's first water shortage.

In 1994, the island went through a similar water crisis. Puerto Ricans hoarded water then like they are now. Buckets of water sitting in a hot, tropical climate gave birth to mosquitoes, which sparked a Dengue fever outbreak.

Source: CNN Money

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Taxonomy

• Scarcity
• Drought
• Water Losses