Thousands of residents in Puerto Rico are facing acute water shortages amid ongoing power outages, prompting the territory’s governor to activate the National Guard in an effort to distribute emergency supplies. The shortages, which have persisted in several of the island’s most densely populated areas including the capital, San Juan, have forced many to rely on bottled water, laundromats, and physically demanding efforts such as hauling heavy buckets to meet basic needs.
Puerto Rico’s Water and Sewer Authority, responsible for extracting water from local rivers, reservoirs, and underground aquifers, has struggled to maintain consistent service according to officials. The territory’s infrastructure, long criticized for underinvestment and inadequate maintenance, has contributed to the worsening crisis. Mayor Miguel Romero of San Juan filed a lawsuit against the water authority in late May, highlighting the severity of the outages and directing attention to the agency’s handling of the situation.
Residents such as Jeannette Mercado Rodríguez have endured prolonged periods without running water, sometimes lasting up to two weeks, as Puerto Rico enters its hot summer season with heat advisories already in place. Mercado, who lives in the public housing complex Las Margaritas, described the physical toll of fetching water daily to meet her household needs, even sustaining an injury during the effort. Elderly and disabled individuals are among the hardest hit, with community leaders reporting hospitalizations linked to the water scarcity.
The crisis escalated in early June, leaving nearly 40,000 customers without water during the first weekend of the month. In response, Governor Jenniffer González deployed the National Guard, which operates several water trucks with a combined capacity of thousands of gallons. Additional deliveries have come from Puerto Rico’s Tourism Company, which allocated larger tanks to supply hotels and short-term rentals. In an unusual step, two milk transport trucks were sanitized and repurposed by the Department of Agriculture to carry potable water, reflecting the extraordinary demand.
Despite these efforts, access remains inconsistent. Some water tankers in impoverished neighborhoods sat empty for days, causing frustration and anxiety among residents. Community leaders report that scheduling and communication around water distribution are inadequate, leaving many without notice and unable to collect water during typical working hours.
Local advocates emphasize the emotional as well as physical strain brought on by the shortages. Luz Laborde, president of a neighborhood association in San Juan’s Santurce district, called the situation “inhuman” and said it was damaging residents’ mental health. In a courtroom filled with citizens awaiting the outcome of the lawsuit against the Water and Sewer Authority, community organizer Marcia Soler París described widespread exhaustion and despair.
Many households lack cisterns or storage facilities, compounding the challenge of securing sufficient water. Soler, who cares for her grandchildren and makes regular requests for water deliveries, detailed the additional expenses borne by families forced to purchase disposable utensils and laundry services, contributing to economic strain on an island where over 40% of the population lives below the poverty line. Vulnerable groups, including bedridden patients and the visually impaired, rely heavily on neighbors and caregivers for water access.
Power outages have long plagued Puerto Rico, but the current water crisis has intensified public discontent. Residents such as 79-year-old Elizabeth Sánchez from Villa Kennedy public housing described the physical hardships of daily water collection as “horrible,” recounting injuries sustained by herself and her husband.
Amid these challenges, the Water and Sewer Authority remains under scrutiny. In February 2025, Luis González Delgado was appointed executive president of the authority with a mandate to improve the system. However, as the island grapples with recurring outages and shortages, questions remain about the agency’s capacity to restore reliable water service for Puerto Rico’s 3.2 million residents.