By The Star Staff
Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) Executive President Doriel Pagán Crespo on Wednesday provided updates on the status of drinking water service after the passage of Hurricane Fiona through Puerto Rico, noting that more than 90 percent of the island population has water.
“We continue to work uninterruptedly to achieve the total restoration of drinking water service for all our customers,” Pagán Crespo said. “We keep executing all response plans across the five regions in order to bring drinking water to all customers. Likewise, we continue to monitor the generators installed in our critical facilities to maintain the stability of the supply, even in the absence of electrical service.”
Currently, 90.28 percent of PRASA customers have drinking water service, which is equivalent to 1,198,721 customers, Pagán Crespo said. PRASA will progressively increase the percentage to achieve total stabilization of the system, she added.
Meanwhile, due to the intermittency in the drinking water service after Fiona’s passage, PRASA will proactively be making an adjustment in 100% of subscribers’ bills during the billing period from Sept. 18 to 25, 2022.
“After Hurricane Fiona, several of our filtration systems and plants were out of operation due to clogged outlets caused by strong increases in intake and lack of electrical service. It is for this reason that the adjustment will be made to all our residential and commercial customers, who will see it reflected in their next invoice,” the PRASA official said. “This adjustment will be equivalent to 13 percent of your bill for a normal 60-day period.”
For residential customers who have consumption in the base charge of 10 cubic meters, using the example that the monthly bill is $28.15, the credit will be $3.66. Similarly, for an average residential customer with a consumption of 11 to 12 cubic meters and whose monthly bill is $36.16, a total of $4.70 will be credited.
As part of the customer support efforts PRASA provides, subscribers will have the alternative of using the services through the virtual office that is available 24 hours a day, the call center through (787) 620-2482 from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., as well as the establishments registered to receive payments, such as the authorized payment stations around the island.