The Puerto Rican central government has ruled out water rationing for the 110,000 customers served by the La Plata reservoir, despite the lake’s water level falling by almost two metres over the past month. Secretary of State Rosachely Rivera Santana told reporters after a Drought Committee meeting at La Fortaleza that “for now – at this moment – that is not being considered.” She added that authorities will wait for rainfall forecasts for early November before deciding whether new conservation measures are needed. “If it doesn’t rain, the appropriate measures would have to be taken – as has been done on other occasions – but at this moment, that decision has not been made,” Rivera Santana said. Meteorologist Ernesto Rodríguez of the National Weather Service described the La Plata area as experiencing a severe drought, with some southern, southwestern and south‑central sectors of Puerto Rico still in extreme drought. He noted that while western Puerto Rico received between four and six inches of rain in the last two weeks, the La Plata watershed received less than half an inch. “Over the last 30 days or so, the level has dropped by about 1.95 metres – roughly two metres,” Rodríguez said. He added that the water level continues to fall by 10 to 12 centimetres per day and that the watershed has an accumulated rainfall deficit of five to eight inches over the past two months. Because the La Plata watershed is narrow and runs primarily from south to north, typical showers do not usually provide enough runoff to raise the level. “We need weather systems like troughs or tropical waves – which are what truly bring rain to that watershed – rather than the typical rain showers that usually occur in Puerto Rico,” he explained. Rodríguez said the forecast indicates a chance for more widespread rainfall between November 2 and November 4, when a trough could combine with a tropical wave. However, he cautioned that this event might not be sufficient to end the drought conditions. “It’s not as if we’re going to see enough rain to completely resolve the situation at La Plata, but it does appear that we will have somewhat more widespread rainfall, especially in November, across the Puerto Rico area,” he said. Engineer Carlos Pesquera Morales told reporters that the reservoir currently holds at least a 30‑day supply of water without the need for service‑control measures. He said any rainfall recorded over the coming weeks could extend this period and delay decisions about supply restrictions. Pesquera noted that in August some mayors of municipalities supplied by La Plata had requested pre‑emptive reductions, but the committee recommended against implementing them, and the system has continued to operate without interruptions. “There is no need for immediate action, but we must continue to exercise caution,” he said. Luis Reinaldo González Delgado, Executive President of the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA), confirmed that the public corporation is maintaining the operational adjustments previously implemented at La Plata to manage water extraction and extend the availability of the resource. La Plata supplies customers in Bayamón, Cataño, Guaynabo, Toa Baja, Toa Alta, Naranjito, Corozal and Vega Alta. In contrast, the Carraízo, Cidra, Toa Vaca, Río Blanco and Fajardo reservoirs are showing stable conditions or signs of recovery, according to a PRASA report. González Delgado added that PRASA is carrying out an intensive program to repair leaks. At the beginning of August, there were nearly 2,000 reports of leaks in the system across Puerto Rico; the figure dropped to about 1,000 during September.
Article and image source: San Juan Daily Star