Puerto Rico.- The Governor of Puerto Rico, Jenniffer González, announced this Thursday that she will issue an executive order to declare a state of emergency across the island due to the drought, a decree that will be signed next Monday after meeting with the Drought Committee and a group of mayors.
Currently, an emergency order is only in effect for the municipalities of Loíza, Canóvanas, and Río Grande, which have a system of scheduled service interruptions in place.
The new executive order will freeze prices for essential products such as cisterns and installation equipment, and will facilitate the activation of the National Guard, the streamlining of purchases, the use of technology, reimbursements, and water hauling.
The governor acknowledged that the situation regarding water supplies has worsened due to the El Niño phenomenon, particularly in the Carraízo reservoir, which supplies about 180,000 customers in San Juan, Carolina, Trujillo Alto, and sectors of Canóvanas, Dorado, and Juncos.
You can also read: Quisqueyanos Valientes, with Jessica Hasbún, arrives on Univisión 41, Univisión Puerto Rico and ViX | De Último Minuto | Today’s news in the Dominican Republic
This reservoir has exited the observation phase, which requires monitoring the level to make adjustments and extend its useful life.
More Read
Given the lack of forecasts for sufficient rain over the next two weeks, the governor urged residents of the affected municipalities to moderate their water consumption and avoid practices such as washing vehicles or using hoses on sidewalks and carports.
Likewise, he indicated that there is currently no plan for scheduled interruptions at a general level.
In the southern area, the lack of water affects the agricultural sector, which is why the Department of Economic Development and Commerce is granting incentives of up to $5,000 to affected businesses.
More Read
Climatological projections point to an increase in rainfall for the month of September.
The state administration assured that current preventive measures distance the current situation from the drought recorded between 2014 and 2015.
These statements were issued during the inauguration of the Integrated Health Services Centers in Isabela, a project completed with an investment of $10 million in own funds.
The resident commissioner in Washington, Pablo José Hernández Rivera, participated in the activity, with whom he discussed efforts to achieve the reauthorization of federal funds that expire in October of next year.
