Puerto Rico Rations Water as Drought Deepens

Summary

Puerto Rico is rationing water for over 180,000 people as drought worsens longstanding infrastructure problems. Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández says the crisis is amplified by years of local mismanagement and calls for a federal emergency declaration to unlock FEMA resources. He also highlights ongoing power blackouts and stresses the need for better coordination between local and federal authorities.

• Rotating 48-hour water outages affect more than 180,000 customers in the San Juan area.
• Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández says the problem is worse than past droughts due to months of pre-existing water system issues.
• An expert cited says 60% of water in the island system never reaches customers.
• Hernández blames a 'drought of good management' over the past decade under the same political party.
• He urges the governor to request a federal emergency declaration to access FEMA water supplies, SBA loans, and USDA agricultural aid.
• Power blackouts remain a parallel problem, driven by generation shortfalls and poor coordination between government and a utility company.
• Hernández acknowledges the need for local accountability while also seeking Washington's support for reconstruction funds.