Dredging of Carraízo Reservoir completed.

The dredging of Carraízo Reservoir represents a total investment of $106.8 million, funded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program, as well as the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority.

By THE STAR STAFF

Gov. Jenniffer González Colón and Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) Executive President Luis Reinaldo González Delgado announced over the weekend the completion of the dredging project for the Carraízo Reservoir.

They also announced the allocation of funds for a second phase focused on sediment mitigation and control within the lake.

“This initiative is part of our commitment to transform and strengthen the metropolitan area’s drinking water system,” González Colón said Saturday in written remarks. “After 27 years without any dredging being performed in Carraízo Lake, today we complete a project that increases the reservoir’s capacity and fortifies our water system’s infrastructure against droughts and other climatic challenges we face.”

The dredging project represents a total investment of $106.8 million, funded through federal sources -- specifically the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program -- as well as PRASA.

Some 2 million cubic meters of storage capacity were recovered -- a volume that had been lost over decades due to the accumulation of sediment and debris.

The Carraízo Reservoir supplies drinking water to 171,387 families across the municipalities of San Juan, Carolina, Canóvanas, Trujillo Alto, Gurabo, Loíza, and Juncos, via the Sergio Cuevas Filtration Plant in Trujillo Alto.

The work, which began in June 2024, included the mobilization of specialized dredging equipment, the implementation of erosion and sediment controls, improvements to the disposal sites for dredged material, and the restoration of areas impacted by the construction work.

“This project represents a strategic investment to strengthen water supply security in the metropolitan region,” González Delgado said. “With its completion, we have successfully added approximately 550 million gallons of water to our system -- representing more than five additional days of supply for the customers who rely on this system. Carraízo is a critical component of our infrastructure, and restoring its storage capacity enables us to respond more effectively to drought events and ensure service continuity for thousands of citizens.”

During the dredging operations, a significant amount of solid waste -- which had accumulated in the lake over the years -- was also removed, including tires, vehicles and household appliances. In addition to occupying space that should have been available for water storage, those materials negatively impacted the ecosystem and hindered the progress of the work.

The governor announced further that, as part of the efforts to safeguard the investment made, the agency is currently planning a second phase of the project focused on sediment mitigation and control within the reservoir.

The project already has a projected bid opening date set for April 2029.