Puerto Rico Imposes Water Rations
Published on by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network in Government
Puerto Ricohas imposed strict water-rationing measures that will make daily showers a challenge for tens of thousands of people and force businesses such as restaurants and car washes to brace for a summer expected to be drier than usual
Puerto Ricohas imposed strict water-rationing measures that will make daily showers a challenge for tens of thousands of people and force businesses such as restaurants and car washes to brace for a summer expected to be drier than usual.
More than 160,000 people living in and near the capital of San Juan will have access to water only every other day, with officials warning on Wednesday that service could be cut for up to 36 hours if water levels at the island's main reservoirs keep dropping. The measures could remain in place for months.
"This is not the time to be filling up pools, washing cars or using hoses to clean," said Alberto Lazaro, executive president of the island's water and sewer company.
He said another 70,000 people could be affected by rationing measures if rain doesn't fall soon. Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla recently declared a state of emergency given the increasingly dry conditions.
May usually is one of Puerto Rico's wettest months, but only a tenth of an inch has fallen so far in San Juan, compared to the average 2.31in (6cm) that usually fall in the first two weeks, said Odalys Martinez with the National Weather Service.
"Puerto Rico has been dragging this shortfall since last year," she said by phone, noting that rainfall overall has been below average because of the El Niño phenomenon, which leads to drier conditions and high temperatures.
Thermostats recently reached the mid-90s, breaking records for the month of April and causing dry conditions blamed for several fires around the island.
Source: The Guardian
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