Carlos Pesquera, designated by the governor to handle Puerto Rico’s drinking water crisis, said no new water rationing is expected at least until after Christmas, following the recovery of the Carraízo and La Plata reservoirs. He spoke in an interview on Normando en la Mañana. "Carraízo was fully recovered; La Plata still had to improve, and in the past week and a week and a half it has recovered significantly," he said.
The projection rests on a National Weather Service report anticipating a humid environment in the coming weeks and months. "If there are no changes in the coming weeks, this crisis should be over," Pesquera said. He said the Drought Committee’s most relevant decision was not activating rationing when it was requested: mayors of the towns served by La Plata asked for preventive rationing, the committee said no, and service to users has improved since.
Pesquera said the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (AAA) repaired idle filters in the Sergio Cuevas system, increasing water served in the San Juan area and improving pressure. AAA announced a project to improve pressure in Miraflores and the upper areas of Santurce, and keeps what he called an aggressive leak-repair plan. He said drought levels have dropped drastically across the island, with no extreme or moderate drought remaining, attributing this to heavy rain in the east, particularly El Yunque.
Any related executive order is up to the governor, who will be given the information. The company that will provide well rehabilitation services as a drought alternative has been selected.