A break in the number five pipeline in Zona Alta left more than 93,000 residents of Santiago de Cuba without water supply early Thursday morning, according to an official statement from the Water and Sewage Company Aguas Santiago.
The breakdown occurred at 1:30 in the morning at the corner of Federico Rey Avenue and Primera Street, in a pipe with a diameter of 900 millimeters. The company estimated that the repair work could take up to 48 hours due to the complexity of the intervention.
Thirteen neighborhoods and circuits were left without service: C/U Antonio Maceo, Vista Alegre Bajo Este and Pastorita, Ampliación Terrazas, Sueño–Avenida Américas, Portuondo–Zamorana, Flores Bajo, Vista Hermosa, Mariana de la Torre Alto Parte Baja, Asunción–Municipal, Villalón–Flores Alto, Dessy Zona Alta and Media, Dessy Zona Baja–Chicharrones, and Veguita de Galo Alto. The pumping stations Micro 1A and Van Van were also out of service.
"The repair work for this malfunction is expected to be completed within a period not exceeding 48 hours, due to the complexity involved," the company stated in its notice, adding that its teams would put in "every effort" to shorten that timeframe.
The interruption adds to a series of breakdowns that have affected the city's water system throughout 2026. In July, two consecutive breaks occurred in the main pipeline of the Northwest system, each with similar repair estimates. In June, Aguas Santiago officials had acknowledged that neighborhoods like El Cristo, Altamira, and San Juan-Sevilla had gone without water for between 39 and 48 days, worsened by the electrical crisis that paralyzes the pumping stations.
The problem is not limited to the provincial capital. Residents of Songo-La Maya reported in recent weeks experiencing three to four months without access to water from the aqueduct system, while residents of Palma Soriano reported more than six months without a regular supply.
Water scarcity has also had health consequences: in October, an increase in diarrheal diseases in Santiago de Cuba was reported, associated with the consumption of murky water, with residents describing a dark liquid, containing sediments and a muddy smell.
On a national level, the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources reported on October 27 that 2.14 million people —27.4% of the country's population— were partially or totally affected in their access to water. Just three weeks earlier, that figure was 2.7 million affected Cubans, equivalent to 35% of the population served by networks.
More than 85% of the country's pumping stations depend on electricity, making each blackout a factor that exacerbates the water crisis. An official from a state-owned water and sanitation company acknowledged to the AFP agency that "between 80% and 85% of the distributed water requires pumping to reach homes."
Those who need information about the outage can contact the Public Assistance Department of Aguas Santiago at the phone numbers 628010 and 620686. The Cuban government plans to install 200 megawatts of solar generation dedicated to water pumping, although its implementation is not expected before 2027.
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