Cayey mayor takes local water crisis concerns to Washington

Cayey Mayor Rolando Ortiz Velázquez

By THE STAR STAFF

Cayey Mayor Rolando Ortiz Velázquez relayed long‑standing concerns over potable water service in several rural communities to federal officials on Monday, joining a delegation of Puerto Rico mayors participating in the “Technical Mission in Washington,” an initiative of the Puerto Rico Mayors Association aimed at strengthening municipal advocacy in the U.S. capital.

Ortiz Velázquez met with Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration Executive Director Gabriella Boffelli as part of a series of scheduled meetings with federal agencies, members of Congress and nonprofit organizations. The mayor said the conversation focused in part on chronic water service instability affecting sectors such as Cercadillo and Lapa, where residents have endured years of irregular service from the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) despite consistently paying their monthly bills.

“We raised the issue of the potable water crisis in several sectors of Cayey,” Ortiz Velázquez said. “These communities have lived with unstable service for years. Families pay diligently, yet the service remains unreliable. We asked Director Boffelli for federal support to help address this situation.”

The mayor noted that recent high‑profile water system failures -- including breaks in the Northern Superaqueduct, persistent drought conditions and service disruptions in the San Juan metropolitan area -- have drawn significant media attention. While that visibility is welcome, he argued that mountain towns facing similar or worse conditions have not received equitable coverage or urgency.

He pointed to the case of Morovis, which as previously reported by the STAR sued PRASA in federal court over chronic service deficiencies, an action that resulted in a court‑supervised agreement between both parties.

The Cayey mayor’s visit to Washington is part of a broader effort by Puerto Rico’s municipal leaders to secure federal collaboration on infrastructure, community development and essential services.