What's happening? Residents and businesses in San Juan have been dealing with drinking water service interruptions for weeks, caused by breakdowns in the Superacueducto and other infrastructure. In response, the Municipality of San Juan and other entities have developed initiatives to help minimize the impact, including assistance for purchasing water tanks, money for small and midsize businesses, and fixed water stations.
Why it matters. In the Municipality of San Juan alone, the impact of the water shortage is estimated in the millions of dollars: $1 million for tank purchases, $622,000 for water hauling over 17 days, truck rentals, overtime pay for employees, and other costs, according to Mayor Miguel Romero.
"We're already talking about millions of dollars here. It has been millions of dollars because, again, delivering water is not a municipal function," Romero told Platea.
Below are the fixed water stations, the available assistance programs, and how to apply for them.
🚰 Fixed water stations in San Juan
For the duration of the water emergency, the Municipality of San Juan will maintain nine fixed water stations at:
Residencial Luis Lloréns Torres (4 locations): (1) calle Marina in front of building 30, (2) calle Marisabel at calle Collores, (3) building 79 (Placita Panini), (4) calle Marina in front of building 7 in the Providencia sector
Residencial Las Margaritas (Boys & Girls Club)
Residencial Las Casas (in front of the court)
Colegio María Auxiliadora (Ave. Eduardo Conde)
Carretera PR-842 (entrance to Los Romero, behind the Texaco garage)
Antigua Escuela Rafael Quiñones Vidal
How it works: You can go to any location with your containers and fill them.
💧 Tank-filling service
For both residents and businesses, a free tank-filling service is available by calling the special line of the Oficina Municipal de Manejo de Emergencias (OMME): 787-480-2025.
Calls are answered as quickly as possible, but the time to fill a tank may vary. The municipality has 55 water trucks (a mix of its own, contracted, borrowed from other municipalities, from the AAA, and from the National Guard) to respond to the emergency.
🪣 400 tanks distributed to San Juan residents
Through the Programa Respuesta Capital, the Municipality of San Juan allocated $1 million from its Emergency Fund to purchase and install 400 tanks in affected communities. After a competitive process involving more than 40 companies, the municipality selected four that will install the tanks "in the next five to six weeks," the mayor said.
"With $912,000 we are acquiring these 400 tanks. The rest of the money covers installation. Installation is included. These are 400-gallon tanks with their motors and pumps. Tanks today cost almost $3,000," Romero explained.
First phase. The first 160 tank vouchers were distributed on Friday, June 19, at the Colegio Universitario de San Juan. They went to families identified through calls to the OMME who had been affected by the water shortage. At the event, families were also given an appointment for tank installation.
How to participate. Only San Juan residents in the areas most affected by the water shortage may participate in this program, which still has 240 tank vouchers remaining for installation.
You can call the OMME (787-480-2025) to request participation in the program; staff will conduct the corresponding interview to determine whether you qualify.
Requirements. Requirements include being a San Juan resident and owning your home. Condominiums, public housing, short-term rentals (Airbnb), and rented properties are not eligible. There is no income requirement.
💵 Assistance of up to $5,000 for San Juan small businesses
The Municipality of San Juan allocated $1.9 million to offer grants of up to $5,000 to small and midsize businesses with annual sales of up to $500,000.
"It can be money to buy a cistern for your business, or it can also be relief for economic losses so they can pay bills, whether water or electricity," the mayor of San Juan said.
How to apply. The simplest way is to visit the Concierge Empresarial office of the Municipality of San Juan, located on the second level of Plaza Las Américas, open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
You can also contact the Concierge Empresarial through the website sanjuan.pr/concierge-empresarial/ or by calling 787-480-5600.
💧 Cistern filling. The municipality also assists business owners with free cistern-filling service, which can be requested through the OMME by calling 787-480-2025.
🤝 Aid for restaurants, bars and employees
The organizers of Puerto Rico Cocktail Week (PRCW) are carrying out various efforts to support the food and cocktail industry during the water shortage. Among the initiatives are:
💰 PRCW Tip Jar: Offers psychological and financial assistance to members of the cocktail industry, from cooks and bartenders to security staff. It is available year-round and is evaluated case by case (it is individual aid).
To apply: Fill out the form at prcocktailweek.com/tipjar/.
To donate: You can send your donation through the website.
Mixologist and entrepreneur Roberto Berdecía, co-founder of the PRCW, explained to Platea that, although the Tip Jar is not directly tied to the water crisis, it can provide financial assistance to those who have lost work during the emergency, as well as psychological support.
🍽️ Partnership for discounts on disposable tableware. "The first thing we achieved was a partnership with Caribe Compostable for a discount on disposable (cutlery and cups), because that's what we saw was immediately needed." This is requested directly through the PRCW for assistance.
They are also in talks with other companies to determine what additional support they could offer the sector during the water shortage.
📝 Industry survey on needs. In order to understand the damage and needs of the food and cocktail industry, the PRCW is also conducting a survey among employees and business owners.
☎️ Contacts for restaurants that need cistern filling
For its part, the Asociación de Restaurantes de Puerto Rico (ASORE) assists its members by offering them options for companies that provide cistern filling and other services.
To request assistance, you can call ASORE directly at 787-900-8630 or 787-783-9640.
Cover photos: Via Facebook: San Juan, Ciudad Capital
This content was translated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
