The Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (AAA) reported that the Canóvanas Filter Plant and the Loíza Valley Pumping Station remain out of operation due to the detection of a substance with an oily appearance in the system, which was confirmed by laboratory tests. The situation has left communities in Canóvanas and Loíza without potable water service. According to AAA Executive Director Luis R.
González Delgado, the company 5 Senses has been mobilized to remove the identified material from the water surface. Once the work is completed, new water samples will be taken to determine if the system meets safety and quality standards. The AAA did not provide an estimate for when the water service could be restored, but reiterated that operations will not resume until the system meets the required standards.
The agency is working with the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DRNA) to inspect the area and identify the possible source of the contamination. The AAA is also coordinating with the municipalities of Loíza and Canóvanas to distribute water through tank trucks.