đź•’ Created · Updated

Sonia Palacios describes the daily routines and sacrifices made by residents of a San Juan condo building facing a severe water crisis.

Sonia Palacios, a retired lawyer living in San Juan, Puerto Rico, is navigating a severe water crisis that has forced residents of her condo building to adapt to a new, often frustrating routine. Due to a drought and a long-neglected network of pipes, many residents are now without running water on as many as four days a week. Palacios and her neighbors are forced to fill containers and stretch every drop of water, often skipping social events to ensure they have enough for basic needs like bathing and cooking. While Governor Jenniffer González-Colón has attributed the crisis to the drought, many residents and observers, such as Anna Rivera, point to the island's outdated infrastructure and mismanagement. The government's data shows that 60 percent of treated water is lost to leaks and inefficiencies. To address the shortage, the administration announced a state of emergency and FEMA plans to send water trailers to the island to assist hospitals, hotels, and residences.

Sources