More than 500,000 people enter water rationing on a 48-hour rotation

On August 7, 2026, Caribbean Business reports that more than 500,000 people in Puerto Rico face water rationing. The 48-hour rotation started Friday because of Carraízo's levels, the main source for at least seven municipalities: San Juan, Trujillo Alto, Carolina, Canovanas, Loiza, Gurabo, and Juncos. The outlet puts some 183,000 residential and commercial accounts. That equivalence to half a million people is its own.

Carraízo, in Trujillo Alto, had fallen below 38 meters, at operational adjustments. Puerto Rico is living its first major drought since 2015, Caribbean Business writes. The drought covers about 80 percent of the territory; the driest July since 1899 left 0.54 inches, near 9 percent of normal. Those magnitudes are the outlet's. They are not mixed here with the Drought Monitor El Nuevo Día covered on the 6th and the 13th of August at other URLs.

The AAA set up 35 oases in San Juan, Carolina, Trujillo Alto, Loiza, and Canovanas. Zone 1 was to have service Friday and Saturday and lose it on Sunday; Zone 2 was interrupted at 6:00 a.m. Friday. Some Zone 1 customers did not see restoration on time: the AAA attributed the delay to a pipe break from the prior week. The plan has two stages. Phase 1, Friday's, is every 48 hours. Phase 2 would leave one day with water and three without service.

Besides Carraízo, Cidra already required adjustments; five other reservoirs were under observation. The government had declared a water-use emergency in late July. On August 4, NotiCel had announced shifts of about 24 hours. Caribbean Business, three days later, publishes 48 hours and more than 500,000 people. No winner is chosen. The date and the outlet are named.

Affected schools would operate on reduced hours; virtual classes are not ruled out if it worsens. Anyone looking for the zone map or the oasis count has the Caribbean Business URL at the foot.

Source: Caribbean Business. https://caribbean.business/more-than-500000-puerto-rico-residents-face-water-rationing-amid-worsening-drought/