Fiscal board approves well restoration evaluation plan
By THE STAR STAFF
The Financial Oversight and Management Board has approved more than $2.4 million from Puerto Rico’s Emergency Reserve to begin evaluating whether five inactive Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) public‑supply wells can be restored to service as part of the government’s drought‑response strategy.
In a letter sent electronically on Monday to Gov. Jenniffer González Colón, the oversight board’s executive director, Robert F. Mujica Jr., confirmed that the board will authorize access to $2,422,086 for assessment and pre‑construction work. The amount represents roughly a quarter of the central government’s original request for $9.7 million to rehabilitate and reactivate the wells.
The decision follows a series of exchanges between the government and the oversight board, including a Sept. 18 meeting in which officials discussed technical questions raised by the board. The government responded in writing on Sept. 21, outlining a phased approach that begins with investigations, testing, engineering analyses, environmental reviews and other pre‑construction activities needed to determine whether the wells can be safely and effectively restored.
According to the oversight board, the duration of those assessments will vary by site, ranging from about two weeks after contract and funding approvals to as long as six months. Only wells that meet all technical, environmental, regulatory, operational and fiscal requirements will advance to rehabilitation.
The five wells under consideration are part of a broader Emergency Well Rehabilitation Program that includes 12 inactive public‑supply wells. The government has been working with federal agencies and local entities to refine the list, and the final selection of the five wells for initial assessment remains under evaluation. The program aims to expand Puerto Rico’s drought‑response capacity by restoring supplemental groundwater sources that could help stabilize water supply during ongoing reservoir stress.
The Puerto Rico Infrastructure Financing Authority (PRIFA) will manage interagency agreements with PRASA, the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, and the Department of Health for the initial assessment phase. As a result, the authorized funds must be transferred to PRIFA.
The oversight board emphasized that no additional Emergency Reserve funding will be approved until the government submits a well‑specific cost‑benefit analysis. The board is requiring detailed capital expenses for rehabilitation and interconnection to the Superaqueduct, recurring operations and maintenance costs under multiple operating scenarios, expected benefits and timelines for construction phases, risks identified during pre‑construction, and a funding strategy beyond the Emergency Reserve.
The authorization is subject to existing procedures for accessing the Emergency Reserve, including pre‑authorization from the Office of Management and Budget, which must submit monthly reports to the board beginning Oct. 31 and continuing through March 2027 or until the funds are exhausted.
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