Puerto Rico Secretary of State Rosachely Rivera acknowledged Sunday that the Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (AAA) failed to maintain direct communication with some mayors of municipalities affected by water rationing, causing them to be unaware that the established schedule had changed. Carraízo reservoir customers had a calendar specifying restoration days for zones 1 and 2, but when service was due to resume, several communities remained without water and mayors were caught off guard, receiving no immediate explanation from AAA.
Rivera said she has been acting as a liaison, contacting mayors for updates, and that AAA attributed some changes to unexpected pressure issues when reopening certain areas. She said AAA is working to improve compliance with the zone 1-to-zone 2 rationing schedule and to strengthen more direct, constant communication with local officials. Rationing began last week, with problems, in sectors of San Juan, Juncos, Carolina, Loíza, Trujillo Alto, Canóvanas and Gurabo, all supplied by the Carraízo reservoir.
The plan calls for 48-hour service interruptions, though some zones were already without water before it began. Rivera also said Governor Jenniffer González would be making announcements this week about additional reservoir-related work, without offering further details.