What We Asked Congress to Do About Puerto Rico’s Water Crisis
By Joel Berrocal
Reliable water is essential to every family, hospital, school and business. Yet Puerto Rico’s continuing water interruptions have forced residents and employers to plan their lives around a system that too often fails to deliver this basic necessity.
I recently met with Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick’s staff on behalf of the National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce (NPRCC) and our stakeholders, including members of Bucks County’s Puerto Rican community. We presented three specific federal actions and asked his office for a clear commitment on each.
First, we asked the congressman to publicly support the governor of Puerto Rico requesting a federal emergency declaration from the Trump administration and to join that call formally.
Under the Stafford Act, a governor generally must request an emergency declaration from the president. If approved, that declaration can make federal assistance available and authorize FEMA to coordinate additional federal support. That emergency authority is distinct from the compliance oversight associated with PRASA’s existing federal consent decree.
Puerto Rico has already spent too long treating recurring service failures as routine. A federal declaration would not repair every pipe or resolve every management problem. It would, however, provide a framework for an emergency response proportionate to the disruption families and businesses are experiencing.
Second, we asked Congressman Fitzpatrick to support a Government Accountability Office audit of the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority. That review should examine the frequency and root causes of water interruptions, deterioration of PRASA infrastructure, use of federal funds allocated to date, and response times and coordination across FEMA, HUD and EPA.
The audit must also follow the money beyond PRASA. Since Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico has struggled to convert large federal allocations into completed recovery projects. A 2024 GAO review found that less than 10 percent of more than $23 billion in available federal recovery funding had been spent at that time. Challenges included escalating costs, workforce shortages and supply-chain disruptions.
A new audit should determine how much disaster and infrastructure funding allocated to municipalities went unspent or expired, which communities were affected and why the money was not used. That deserves its own line of inquiry. An audit focused only on construction spending would miss administrative obstacles that can prevent an approved project from beginning.
Third, we asked whether the congressman would support funding an Army Corps of Engineers deployment through an upcoming appropriations bill. This request is not limited to short-term water distribution. Published reporting, citing a 2019 American Society of Civil Engineers assessment, found that nearly 60 percent of Puerto Rico’s treated water was lost through leaks, inaccurate meters and unauthorized consumption.
That level of system loss requires engineering capacity as well as emergency relief. Any Army Corps role would need a clearly defined mission, congressional funding and coordination with Puerto Rican authorities.
More federal funding alone is not enough. Municipalities often lack the personnel, English-language capacity and technical expertise needed to apply for grants, comply with federal requirements and administer complex projects. Any new appropriation should therefore include dedicated technical-assistance and capacity-building support.
We also raised the possibility of a permanent, bilingual FEMA and HUD liaison presence working directly with municipalities. A standing local resource could help communities navigate federal programs before deadlines pass and funding expires.
Accountability must extend to the public. Bucks County’s Puerto Rican community wants a transparent system reporting how much funding has been allocated, obligated and spent, which projects have been completed and why delayed projects remain stalled.
Our requests are specific: support the governor’s pursuit of an emergency declaration, initiate or support a comprehensive GAO audit and pursue funding for an appropriately scoped Army Corps deployment.
Puerto Rico needs an emergency response paired with the capacity, engineering support and transparent oversight required to deliver lasting results.
Joel Berrocal serves as the Executive Director of the National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce (NPRCC), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization created to support the development of entrepreneurship, innovation, and business expansion throughout Puerto Rico and the U.S. Mainland by providing a comprehensive resource for incubating business ideas, leveraging new markets, taking advantage of new opportunities, and advocating for policies that help our communities grow.