$331K in FEMA funds repair Puerto Rico community aqueducts
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has supported the repair of community aqueducts in Puerto Rico damaged by Hurricane María. Five aqueduct systems in Aguas Buenas, Coamo, Naranjito, Patillas and Yabucoa have benefited from more than $331,400 to repair and strengthen the facilities against future weather events.
Community aqueducts are managed by communities not serviced by the Puerto Rico Aqueduct & Sewer Authority. Several nonprofit organizations that lead these communities manage the repairs.
“These aqueducts contribute to the quality of life of more than 1,000 families in Puerto Rico and are an example of how the agency supports community efforts so that they can rebuild the infrastructure that adapts to their needs,” said José Baquero, the agency’s disaster recovery coordinator for Puerto Rico.
One of these projects is the aqueduct system in the Anones neighborhood in Naranjito. A member of Anones Centro Inc., Sylvia Cruz, stressed the importance of the repairs, particularly the chlorination replacement, given that it contributes to the operation and provision of drinking water for about 500 families.
FEMA allocated more than $101,400 to repair three wells, including a surge protector and fence reinforcement.
“It’s important to preserve this aqueduct since we provide a vital service for people,” Cruz stated.
Jorge Aponte-Cintrón from Patillas’ Mulas-Jagual community noted that nearly $86,000 from FEMA has led to a more reliable water supply for about 200 families. This system uses sand filters and collects water from a natural source.
“The repair of the aqueduct helps to ensure that drinking water service is not interrupted and that quality water service is guaranteed so [the families] can continue to meet their basic needs,” Aponte-Cintrón said.
The Comunidad Coruja aqueduct in Aguas Buenas’ Sumidero neighborhood received nearly $56,200, benefiting more than 270 families. In Coamo’s La Cuesta sector, nearly $45,100 went to replacing chlorination systems and fencing, helping more than 100 families.
Additionally, more than $43,000 were allocated to repair the rural aqueduct of the Jacanas neighborhood in the Saturnino Sepúlveda sector of Yabucoa. The system has a 62,000-gallon water tank that was built in 1974 to supply drinking water to 35 families.
The executive director of the Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency (COR3), Manuel A. Laboy-Rivera, pointed to the Working Capital Advance (WCA) program and the role it plays in assisting public and nonprofit entities during the initial rebuilding phases of a project.
“In addition to the technical assistance work that has been carried out with these subrecipients, COR3 advanced $56,757 through the WCA program for the Anones Maya Aqueduct Services Corporation project in Naranjito. We encourage our subrecipients to consider this pilot program to expedite the process of rebuilding their projects. Like this corporation, there are many other private nonprofit entities that we serve and that could be eligible for advances from the program,” the official said.
According to FEMA, the agency has allocated nearly $31.7 billion to date for more than 10,900 projects that address the island’s reconstruction. Of these funds, nearly $6.8 million are earmarked for about 140 community aqueduct systems across the island.
