Water crisis in Cuba: "Two 55-gallon tanks cost 700 pesos"

Two 55-gallon tanks cost between 600 and 700 pesos, while a water truck can exceed 3,000 pesos.

Arreglo de tuberías de agua en Sancti Spìritus © Periódico Vanguardia
Water pipe repair in Sancti SpíritusPhoto © Vanguardia Newspaper

Cubans affected by the critical water shortage in several provinces of the island reported that while leaks increase in the streets, they have to pay up to 700 pesos for two 55-gallon tanks.

Residents in Trinidad, a municipality in the province of Sancti Spíritus, stated that the situation is critical for thousands of families in that tourist locality.

There, two 55-gallon tanks cost between 600 and 700 pesos, while a water truck can exceed 3,000 pesos, they explained.

Maritza, a resident on Fidel Claro Street, has gone up to two months without receiving the service, but a few blocks from her home, a drain allows water to overflow onto the street almost daily, she reported to the official portal Cubadebate.

"It's frustrating to see how the water is lost in front of my house while I have to look for alternatives to survive," he commented.

The municipality is facing its most serious crisis due to the breakdown of six pumping stations, which has affected more than 4,000 residents, including the higher areas of the city, the Ancón Peninsula, and communities such as Manaca and La Chispa, in Topes de Collantes.

This Wednesday, it was reported that a malfunction left the provincial capital of Sancti Spíritus and Cabaiguán without water.

But the situation also affects other provinces like Havana. Last week, journalist Maya Quiroga reported on Facebook a huge water leak at the intersection of Línea and 10 streets in Vedado, amid a severe drinking water supply crisis affecting the capital.

In March 2023, the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INRH) acknowledged that there are more than 4,000 leaks throughout the country, of which over 2,000 are located in the capital.

Despite official statements that work is being done to resolve these issues, leaks and interruptions in the water supply continue to affect hundreds of thousands of people: in Havana alone, more than 300,000 residents rely on trucks to provide them with drinking water.

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