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The provincial delegation of the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INRH) in Matanzas announced progress in the transition to solar photovoltaic energy, but acknowledged that 29,000 residents of the province face ongoing problems in accessing water, out of a total of 518,000 who rely on pumping to obtain the resource.
Antonio Hernández Martínez, delegate of the INRH in Matanzas, stated in remarks to the Cuban News Agency cited by the provincial newspaper Girón that the hydraulic sector has installed 59 pumping systems powered by photovoltaic solar panels, which benefit nearly 40,000 people in rural communities who "no longer depend on the electric supply provided by the national grid" for access to this vital service.
However, the official himself acknowledged a structural limitation that leaves cities without a solution: the installed systems have a capacity of barely 10 kilowatts and can only be used in rural areas with small and medium wells. This means that more than 300,000 residents of Matanzas are facing a lack of stability in water supply without a short-term technological solution.
"To be used in major cities, a more powerful technology would be needed, capable of exceeding 95 or 100 KV, depending on the case," the official acknowledged. This reality is exacerbated when considering that 87% of the country's aqueduct system relies on the electrical grid, which makes the water supply extremely vulnerable to blackouts.
The situation in the western province has been critical for months. According to previous reports, the 13 municipalities in Matanzas report breakages in their distribution networks, which exacerbates the water deficit that the population is experiencing.
The desperation of the neighbors has led to extreme solutions: more than 40 improvised wells have been dug in sidewalks and yards in the province, a practice that poses serious health risks. Health authorities have even urged boiling and chlorinating water due to reported cases of hepatitis A.
At the national level, the crisis is significant. Power outages have left more than 200,000 people without regular access to water in various regions of the country. In areas like Bolondrón, also in Matanzas, the water scarcity has led to the closure of daycare centers, highlighting the social impact of a crisis that goes far beyond mere domestic inconvenience.
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