As if their ongoing economic crisis isn’t enough, Puerto Ricans are
being forced to learn how to live without water thanks to a severe
drought that is forcing businesses to temporarily close, public schools
to cancel breakfast service and people to find creative ways to stay
clean amid sweltering temperatures.
Rationing rules that had meant
water coming through the pipes only one day out of three will increase
the cutoff to one day out of four starting next week, government
officials say.
“I’ve grown fearful of the weather report,” said
Cornelio Vegazo, owner of a roof repair company. “There’s no light at
the end of the tunnel.”
The drought is one of the worst in the
U.S. territory’s history. July was the fourth driest month in the
capital of San Juan since 1898, the year Puerto Rico became a possession
of the United States. Only 1.6 inches of rain fell last month, and
forecasters predict several more weeks and possibly months of dry
conditions.
More than 20 percent of Puerto Rico is in extreme drought and an
additional 45 percent is in a severe one, according to the National
Drought Mitigation Center, which says 2.8 million people are affected.