The Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (AAA) will begin repairs Monday night on the pipe that carries water from the reservoir to the Fajardo Filtration Plant, after identifying the cause of the failure, said Enrique Rosario Agosto, executive director of the East Region. The work will continue without interruption, and the repairs and the start of service recovery are estimated to take between 36 and 48 hours.
After excavating and inspecting the area, engineers determined that the leak was caused by a mechanical failure that loosened a joint on a curved section of the pipe. Rosario Agosto said crews will replace the damaged parts with spares already in inventory and will cover the affected section with concrete to reinforce the pipe and prevent future failures.
While the work is completed, the Fajardo plant will remain out of service, so customers in Fajardo, Ceiba and sectors of Luquillo will keep experiencing low pressure to full interruptions of potable water service. Once the pipe is repaired, refilling will be progressive and controlled to protect the system, so higher or more remote sectors will take longer to get service.
Rosario Agosto and Fajardo operational director José Sepúlveda met with emergency management (OMME) offices of Fajardo, Ceiba and Luquillo to coordinate potable water distribution by tanker trucks. The AAA directs customers to its service notices page and official social media accounts.