$110M Culebrinas Filtration Plant improvement project begins
The project doubles water capacity for 20,000 people in Puerto Rico.
With a $110 million investment from the Puerto Rico Aqueduct & Sewer Authority (PRASA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Community Development Block Grant Program for Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR), Gov. Pedro Pierluisi and PRASA Executive President Doriel Pagán announced the launch of a major expansion and improvement project at the Culebrinas Filtration Plant in Aguadilla.
The project will benefit approximately 20,000 residents in Aguadilla, Aguada, Moca and parts of Rincón.
“Throughout this four-year period, we have made efforts to continue revitalizing, rebuilding and repairing our infrastructure throughout the island, which has been one of the priority focuses of my administration,” Pierluisis said.
“Rehabilitating potable water infrastructure is an important step in safeguarding the safety, well-being and quality of life of our people, as well as protecting our bodies of water from pollution. This project not only guarantees greater access to drinking water … but also represents an investment in the security and resilience of this essential service.”
The upgrades will double the plant’s drinking water production capacity from 5 million to 10 million gallons per day (MGD). Some of the key improvements include modifications to the existing pumping station, installation of new submersible and split-box pumps, and increasing the plant’s capacity.
The project also includes the construction of new treatment structures, such as clarifiers and filtration clusters, along with an expanded control building and enhanced filtration process areas, including chemicals, chlorination and treated water pumping stations.
The sludge treatment system will also be updated, with improvements to the waste filter, water retention tanks and backwash sludge areas.
Pagán explained that a vacuum-assisted dewatering bed system will be added to handle the plant’s sludge, while the electrical system inside and outside the filtration plant will be upgraded to support the operation of the expanded water treatment facilities.
Two new pumping systems supplying 10 MGD each to the Culebrinas and Montaña filtration plants will also be installed.
The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
