Hundreds of thousands of people in Puerto Rico wake up with no running water as rationing begins: “It’s brutal”
August 7, 2026
Hundreds of thousands of people in Puerto Rico’s capital and surrounding communities woke up without running water as a massive rationing measure took effect Friday. It comes amid a severe drought on top of shortages due to infrastructure issues on the island.
“It’s brutal,” San Juan resident Gloriany Baba told CBS News in Spanish. “It’s unbelievable to live through this today.”
Residents were seen filling up jugs and buckets with water ahead of the rationing, which affects more than 180,000 customer accounts — meaning households and businesses — in San Juan and six other municipalities. Customers were divided into two groups that will alternate not having water for at least 48 hours at a time.