Repairs Underway at Community Aqueducts in Puerto Rico

Release Date Release Number
NR 530
Release Date:
March 22, 2022

Guaynabo, Puerto Rico –More than 2,000 families will have access to drinking water thanks to the repair of community aqueducts through allocations from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for damage that resulted from Hurricane María. The funds from the agency’s Public Assistance Program will be distributed between communities in 10 municipalities: Adjuntas, Aguas Buenas, Barranquitas, Caguas, Comerío, Corozal, Naranjito, Ponce, San Lorenzo and Yabucoa.

Furthermore, through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, nearly $1.8 million were assigned for the first phase of a project to assess the viability of backup-power at 232 vulnerable communities. This will prevent the interruption of the potable water supply to around 100,000 residents. Due to their location, these communities don’t have access to water and sewage connections through the Puerto Rico Aqueducts and Sewers Authority (PRASA).

“Today, as we celebrate World Water Day, we reaffirm our commitment for Puerto Rican families to have access to water, which is a fundamental right for human beings. So far, we have allocated a total of nearly $9 million for 231 community aqueduct projects with the goal of helping these communities that would otherwise lack drinking water,” said FEMA’s Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator for Puerto Rico, José G. Baquero.

For her part, Brenda Guzmán, project manager at the Community Foundation, stated that the aqueduct of the San Diego Abajo sector in Coamo will benefit about 98 families. Furthermore, she explained, that the mitigation project aims for the aqueducts to “have an emergency generator available and that it can also, through an efficient pumping system, use solar panels. This project addresses a primary need for these communities that depend on electric service to operate their community aqueducts systems.”

Likewise, at the Santas Pascuas Sector Community Aqueduct, Inc. in Ponce, which serves around 63 families, repairs were already completed, like the replacement of PVC pipes from the water inlet to the storage tank with a 52,000-gallon capacity. Furthermore, a section of the pipeline on the surface was replaced and a retaining wall will be built. The allocation of $56,000 for this project includes funds for hazard mitigation measures like the restrengthening of the ground to prevent erosion, among others.

Solsiree Rosario Rivera, President of the Santas Pascuas Aqueduct, stated that “it’s extremely important, because we have people with disabilities and children. Basically, it’s something that we needed. Now, with the help that we’ll have, that will benefit us by us having a better water service without the fear of losing it.”

The aqueducts outside of PRASA’s network are vital for some rural sectors that lack the drinking water service that other communities enjoy. The allocations are directed towards repairing and reinforcing these wells and their systems. The improvements that will be done, allow to advance the recovery process that the families will undergo in case of a future storm.

“Currently, COR3 has disbursed over $5.4 million for approximately 200 projects that make the availability of drinking water feasible in communities that can’t get PRASA’s service. We will continue supporting communities to advance these reconstruction projects,” said the Executive Director of the Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency, engineer Manuel A. Laboy Rivera.

For more information on Puerto Rico's recovery from Hurricane María, please visit fema.gov/es/disaster/4339 and recuperacion.pr. Follow our social media pages at Facebook.com/FEMAPuertoRico, Facebook.com/COR3pr and Twitter @COR3pr

Aerial view of the water tank and PVC pipeline
View of landslide adjacent to the water tank

 

Man with blue shirt looking down small door

 

PONCE, Puerto Rico (March 17, 2022) – The Santas Pascuas Sector Community Aqueduct, Inc. in Ponce, which serves around 63 families, repairs were already completed, like the replacement of PVC pipes from the water inlet to the storage tank with a 52,000-gallon capacity. Furthermore, a section of the pipeline on the surface was replaced and a retaining wall will be built. Photos FEMA/ Alvin Báez Hernández

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