Puerto Rico’s government ruled out, for now, a water rationing plan for about 110,000 customers served by the La Plata reservoir, even though the lake has dropped nearly two meters in the past month and remains in severe drought. Secretary of State Rosachely Rivera Santana said after a Drought Committee meeting at La Fortaleza that rationing "is not contemplated at this time," and that officials will wait for rainfall forecast for early November before deciding on new conservation measures.
National Weather Service meteorologist Ernesto Rodríguez said the level fell about 1.95 meters in roughly 30 days and keeps dropping 10 to 12 centimeters a day. The basin has a cumulative rainfall deficit of five to eight inches over two months and received less than half an inch while parts of western Puerto Rico got four to six inches.
Parts of the south, southwest and south-central areas are in extreme drought. A trough combined with a tropical wave could bring more widespread rain from November 2 to 4, though not enough to end the drought. Carlos Pesquera said there is enough water for at least 30 days without service controls.
Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (AAA) president Luis Reinaldo González Delgado said operational adjustments continue, and leak reports fell from about 2,000 in early August to about 1,000 in September. Cloud seeding conditions have not been suitable over La Plata; the effectiveness estimate remains 5 to 20 percent, pending technical data. La Plata serves parts of Bayamón, Cataño, Guaynabo, Toa Baja, Toa Alta, Naranjito, Corozal and Vega Alta.