The short version
- San Juan Daily Star reports AAA completed 28,699 leak repairs representing 94 percent of reports received since May 28
- NotiCel reports average of 1,367 leaks repaired weekly by internal crews and private contractors with $1.8 million invested in additional brigades
- Both outlets report La Plata reservoir remains at operational adjustment level due to low precipitation affecting Bayamón, Cataño, Corozal, Guaynabo, Toa Alta, Toa Baja and San Juan
- AAA urges residents to report leaks via 787-993-2440 or Mi Acueductos app and avoid high-consumption activities such as washing cars or watering gardens
Leak Repair Efforts
The president of the Autoridad de Acueductos y Alcantarillados (AAA), Luis Reinaldo González Delgado, announced on Monday that the public corporation completed 28,699 repairs of water leaks from May 28 to early November. The San Juan Daily Star reported this figure equals 94 percent of all reports received during the drought emergency.
Internal brigades and private contractors maintained an average of 1,367 repairs per week. To support the work, AAA allocated $1.8 million for additional private crews as part of a special operation to identify and fix leaks across Puerto Rico. NotiCel reported the repairs address the island's historical problem of water loss through leaks.
Also on PuertoRico.com: Bayamón travel guide
What the sources posted
Posts and statements below are the sources' own words, quoted as published. They are not independently verified.
Estos números reflejan el esfuerzo diario de nuestras brigadas y la prioridad que esta administración le da a reducir la pérdida de agua potable.
Our translation: These numbers reflect the daily effort of our brigades and the priority that this administration gives to reducing the loss of drinking water.
The source's own statement, as quoted by San Juan Daily Star. Not verified by PuertoRico.com.
Conservation Call for La Plata System
González Delgado stated that the La Plata reservoir remains at the operational adjustment level because of scarce rainfall. He asked customers served by that system in Bayamón, Cataño, Corozal, Guaynabo, Toa Alta, Toa Baja and San Juan to continue conserving water. Both outlets quoted him saying residents should not lower their guard "pues la sequía aún no ha terminado."
The AAA executive asked the public to limit water use to essential needs and to avoid high-consumption activities including washing vehicles, filling pools, hosing sidewalks or watering yards and gardens. He also requested immediate reporting of any observed leaks.
How to Report Leaks
Citizens can report leaks by calling 787-993-2440 daily from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Callers must provide the exact location and a reference point. The San Juan Daily Star reported this line is dedicated exclusively to leak reports.
Reports can also be submitted 24 hours a day through the Mi Acueductos mobile application in the "Reportar Salideros" section by providing a physical address and photo of the affected area, according to NotiCel.
Where the sources differ
Both the San Juan Daily Star and NotiCel agree on the exact figure of 28,699 repairs completed, the 94 percent completion rate, the weekly average of 1,367 repairs, the $1.8 million investment in private brigades, the list of municipalities served by the La Plata system, and the exact wording of González Delgado's conservation appeal. NotiCel additionally notes the AAA's historical water-loss problem and cites a recent Centro de Periodismo Investigativo report that 60 to 69 percent of processed water is lost before reaching homes; the Daily Star does not mention these points.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not state the total number of leak reports received, the current percentage of non-revenue water, the volume of water saved by the repairs, whether drought conditions have worsened or improved since May, the expected completion date for the remaining repairs, or any enforcement measures for conservation violations.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Official Acueductos completa más de 28,600 reparaciones de salideros durante emergencia por sequía
- Reporting Acueductos completa más de 28,600 reparaciones de salideros durante emergencia por sequía
- Reporting Acueductos completa sobre 28,000 reparaciones de salideros
How we checked this
The San Juan Daily Star and NotiCel both based their coverage on written statements and data released by AAA president Luis Reinaldo González Delgado. Details on the $1.8 million contract, the exact municipalities affected, and the two reporting channels appear in both outlets while the historical loss context is reported only by NotiCel.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.
Nils Huenerfuerst / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0PuertoRico.com is free, and readers like you keep it that way.
The PuertoRico.com newsroom checks every story against its sources and publishes it free. If this one helped, a contribution of any size keeps the next one free too.
Secure checkout by Stripe: card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or Link.
One payment, nothing to sign up for.
Contributions go to Puerto Rico.com, LLC. They are not charitable donations and are not tax-deductible. Payments are processed by Stripe.
Thank you for keeping PuertoRico.com free.
Your contribution went through. It helps pay for the next story.
Contributions go to Puerto Rico.com, LLC. They are not charitable donations and are not tax-deductible. Payments are processed by Stripe.