Jonathan Collazo runs two restaurants on Calle Loíza in San Juan. He has been without water for more than 50 days.
The water crisis has disrupted daily life for countless residents and businesses. Thousands of customers rely on Puerto Rico's water utility, which has failed to provide consistent service.
Emergency Measures and Financial Strain
The governor activated the national guard to distribute drinking water across the territory. Shortages extend beyond San Juan to municipalities like Loíza, Guaynabo, and Bayamón.
Water distribution stations have been set up in densely populated areas. However, residents have struggled for weeks to secure water for basic needs.
Collazo relies on two cisterns, including a 1,000-gallon tank that he refills every two days at a cost of approximately $300.
On Thursday alone, he spent $600 to keep running water available for customers in both restaurants.
Kali Solack, co-owner of Café Regina, has marked the days without reliable water service on her shop's front window.
She describes the struggle of managing two businesses without sufficient water.
“We’re treating it kind of right now as a norm, unfortunately,” Solack said. She spends around $300 daily on water in addition to increased costs for disposable items.
The ongoing outages and rising costs have made the situation dire for many in San Juan.
