Does Puerto Rico Have Clean Water Now

Puerto Rico residents go without h2o every 24 hours in drought during pandemic

Some are concerned intermittent water makes it hard to follow safety guidelines.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Amongst the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Puerto Rico is not only enduring a health crisis but also a worsening drought, forcing tens of thousands to go without running water every 24 hours.

For nearly a week now, more than than 140,000 residents, including some in the island'southward capital of San Juan, have been experiencing an intermittent h2o supply. On Monday, Puerto Rico'south Governor Wanda Vázquez declared a state of emergency in the wake of the drought.

The drought alarm is especially dire during the coronavirus pandemic as the Centers for Illness Control and Prevention is encouraging everyone to wash their hands oftentimes to finish the spread of COVID-19 as cases go along to surge across the United States.

Jessica A. González Sampayo, a 26-year-former resident of Hato Rey, in San Juan, told ABC News that she believes the outages pose an additional threat in the wake of a health crunch and makes it even more difficult to follow rubber guidelines. She said that her ability to clean her home and shower are extremely limited considering the lack of water.

"It's been actually hard and frustrating .. because nosotros're in a pandemic. I sympathize we're in a drought, simply damn," Sampayo told ABC News.

Considering Puerto Rico'southward utilities company has urged residents non to stockpile water, Sampayo said that purchasing water at the store is also limited.

Sampayo works total time at a nonprofit organisation and said that she has to accommodate her bustling work schedule to align with her running water. When the water does come back on, it'due south inconsistent and often returns hours later on the designated time frame, she said.

"The day that you're supposed to have the 24 hours, you really don't have the 24 hours, which is stupid. I actually don't sympathize," Sampayo said.

Sampayo, who has one roommate, said that although she's grateful that her family -- who lives nearby -- is still good for you in wake of the pandemic, she is notwithstanding concerned nigh her 93-year-old grandmother, who is at loftier-take a chance of infection and her mother, who has diabetes.

"You tin't launder your hands as much as y'all want ... it'south crazy, and information technology's horrible," Sampayo said.

Puerto Rico has over 2,100 coronavirus confirmed cases, 6,500 possible infections and at least 159 deaths, according to the island's health department. And while Gov. Vázquez, who was one the kickoff governors across the country to result a stay-at-domicile order and has been praised by experts for her potentially life-saving decisions, Puerto Rico has still get one of the hardest hit regions economically across the nation.

Calculation to the devastation: The island has been rocked by over 9,000 tremors inside the last six months, according to a meteorologist'south summary. This includes 2 stiff earthquakes that shook Puerto Rico last Friday. The quakes -- including a series in Jan that left several buildings damaged and thousands homeless -- all come equally the island continues to reel from the impact of deadly Hurricane Maria that hitting in 2022.

Additionally, the Puerto Rican authorities has been plagued with numerous scandals, including Gov. Vázquez recently facing scrutiny following allegations she fired a authorities minister afterwards the official called for an contained investigation into how aid was distributed after Jan's earthquakes.