Puerto Rico schools amend schedule after key water pipe breaks, affecting tens of thousands

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — More than 270 schools in Puerto Rico are modifying their schedules this week after one of the U.S. territory’s main water pipes recently broke.

More than 165,000 clients in 15 cities and towns are affected, including the capital, San Juan, the island’s Water and Sewer Authority said Tuesday.

The mayor of San Juan declared an emergency and officials in several cities deployed more than 100 water trucks to affected communities after the agency announced the broken pipe late Sunday.

Crews began repairing the 6-foot (1.8-meter) diameter pipe early Tuesday, with officials warning that water shortages could last at least two days.

The Water and Sewer Authority came under fire earlier this year after another malfunction in July left tens of thousands of clients without water in certain areas. That malfunction was blamed on a lack of maintenance and a change in management at the company.

____

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.