More than 500,000 residents across seven Puerto Rican municipalities are facing 48-hour water rationing after the island recorded its driest July since 1899, with rainfall reaching just 9% of normal levels.
Governor Jenniffer González declared a water emergency in late July as the Carraízo reservoir, which supplies the San Juan metropolitan area, fell below its minimum operating level. The Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority has set up 35 distribution points across affected cities including San Juan, Carolina, and Trujillo Alto, where roughly 183,000 homes and businesses are subject to rolling cuts. Some communities reported promised water failed to arrive on schedule due to a prior system failure.
Drought conditions now affect 80% of the territory, with extreme drought in southern and western regions. The World Meteorological Organization expects El Niño to intensify through October, while González noted more than 1,000 wildfires are burning across the island. Schools will operate on reduced hours during rationing days.