A Cuban woman reported on social media that in her community they have been without water for over 50 days, which has forced her to go into the countryside to find water in order to meet basic needs.
In a video posted on TikTok, user Izzy (@caliope128) showcased the containers she managed to fill with great difficulty and explained that the situation is affecting her entire town. "It hasn’t rained here in 50 days; they say someone stole the turbine, but I don’t know if that’s true or not. The fact is that my whole town is without water," she expressed with concern.
According to their testimony, the water they obtained is not drinkable, it is only suitable for personal hygiene, but even so, they must boil it before using it. However, the shortage of coal further complicates the situation. "Let's see what we can use to boil it because there's no coal," they lamented.
To transport the full containers, Izzy had to load them onto an animal-drawn cart and take them to her grandmother's house while continuing to search for options to obtain drinking water. "To drink, I will have to find a well or someone who can kindly donate," she said.
The video has generated multiple reactions on TikTok, where many users expressed solidarity and outrage regarding the situation. "What we have to go through isn't easy, only we know," commented one user. Others lamented that the water crisis is a recurring issue in several areas of Cuba: "In Matagua, they've been without water for about three years," noted another user.
Some comments also criticized the Cuban government for the decline of basic services on the island. "I don't know how much longer this communism will last," Izzy remarked in response to his own post.
This is not the first time Izzy has used her social media to highlight the crisis in Cuba. A few weeks ago, she reported a high electricity bill in Manicaragua despite the constant blackouts, claiming that she had to pay for a service she barely receives.
He has also highlighted the food crisis in Cuba, noting that the average Cuban survives on low-quality pizza and spaghetti, while rice is scarce and pork has become unaffordable.
In the midst of the blackouts, she has demonstrated how she tackles the challenges of cooking, and in one of her videos uploaded online, she shared that she had to use a makeshift stove with alcohol to make an omelette, due to the lack of gas and constant power interruptions.
In another complaint, he lamented the unreachable prices of beef, a food that many Cubans can only dream of consuming due to inflation and state restrictions.
His testimony adds to those of many Cubans who use social media to highlight the economic, energy, and supply crisis the country is experiencing, while the authorities fail to provide effective solutions.
In recent months, the water crisis in Cuba has become evident in various areas of the country. In Río Cauto, Granma, recent citizen protests led the government to install a pump to restore the supply, after thousands of residents were left without water for several days. This effort, driven by public pressure, reflects the serious supply situation in the country.
In Santiago de Cuba, the crisis has reached alarming levels. Several areas have been without potable water for four months, forcing residents to seek alternative sources in rivers and wells. In neighborhoods like Reparto Martí, the scarcity is so critical that inhabitants have to carry buckets of water under precarious conditions. Power outages and deficiencies in the pumping system have exacerbated the problem, further limiting access to the resource.
The situation is no better in other regions. In Matanzas, a Cuban woman reported last February that after days without service, the water that came out of the pipes was murky and had a foul smell. This problem has been repeated in other localities, where the theft of pipes and the deterioration of infrastructure have caused prolonged interruptions in the supply.
Earlier, in November, Miguel Díaz-Canel acknowledged the deterioration of the water service following Hurricane Rafael. It is estimated that more than 250,000 people in the capital have faced prolonged outages, with increasingly longer distribution cycles. Meanwhile, the prices for accessing water have skyrocketed, with two 55-gallon tanks costing up to 700 pesos and a water truck exceeding 3,000 pesos in some localities last October.
Despite the investments announced by the government, the solutions have been insufficient, and the population continues to report the dire living conditions caused by the lack of water. The crisis, which affects hundreds of thousands of Cubans, remains unresolved, forcing many to rely on rudimentary methods to obtain the most basic resource.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Water Crisis in Cuba
What is the current situation of water supply in Cuba?
The water supply situation in Cuba is critical, with many communities experiencing prolonged outages. In some areas, such as Santiago de Cuba, residents have gone up to four months without drinking water, and in other locations, like Matanzas, the water that arrives is of poor quality. This crisis is further exacerbated by infrastructure thefts and an inadequate pumping system.
How does the water crisis affect the daily lives of Cubans?
The lack of water severely impacts the daily lives of Cubans, forcing them to seek alternative sources to meet their basic needs. Many have to resort to rudimentary methods like boiling non-potable water, often lacking resources such as coal due to its scarcity. This complicates personal hygiene and food preparation, in addition to increasing the risk of diseases.
What measures has the Cuban government taken to address the water crisis?
Despite the investments announced by the government to improve the supply system, the solutions have been insufficient. The population continues to report the serious living conditions caused by the lack of water, and the solutions implemented, such as the installation of new pumps, have only been successful in some specific cases after public pressure.
What social repercussions has the lack of water had in Cuba?
The lack of water has generated significant social discontent, evident in protests and street blockades in various regions. Citizens are demanding effective solutions and denouncing the government's inability to manage the crisis. Moreover, this situation adds to other shortages such as the lack of electricity and food, further worsening the quality of life on the island.
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