The Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (AAA) took disciplinary actions against employee Goyo Martínez after he opened a valve in Río Piedras to restore water service to residents in Santurce, in the presence of members from the Coalición Exigimos Agua. Martínez, a 32-year AAA employee, claimed he was following orders from his supervisors, José Rivera Ortiz and Jorge Pando, to reopen the valve.
However, he was reprimanded for allowing the citizens to observe the process. The incident occurred on August 29, and Martínez stated that he was doing his job and that the Coalición members were already present when he arrived at 6:00 AM. The Coalición Exigimos Agua has been denouncing the water problems affecting thousands of AAA customers for months and plans to hold a protest in San Juan to demand concrete actions to address the crisis.
Martínez’s supervisor, David Ocasio, reportedly lost his interim position due to the controversy. Martínez explained that his directive was to turn the valve every hour and a half to start the water restoration process.