PDP and PIP unite over water crisis and call for LUMA’s exit

PRASA Executive Director Luis González Delgado

By The Star Staff

Leaders from the Popular Democratic Party (PDP) and the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) joined forces to address the growing crises in Puerto Rico’s water and energy services, blaming political favoritism within the New Progressive Party (NPP) for the dysfunction.

PPD Secretary General Manuel Calderón Cerame, along with Representative Gretchen Hau (District 29), Representative Ramón Torres (At-Large), Senator Ada Álvarez Conde (At-Large), and the Mayor of Jayuya and President of the Association of Mayors, Jorge “Georgie” González Otero, criticized recent appointments in the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA), claiming these were based on political loyalty rather than merit.

Calderón Cerame stated that political interference and mismanagement by the NPP have led to the current chaos in public utilities, and accused top officials in San Juan and the Senate of complicity through silence. The officials demanded the resignation of PRASA President Luis González Delgado, the termination of LUMA Energy’s contract, and an end to political cronyism in public agencies.

Meanwhile, the PIP legislative delegation announced plans to file a resolution calling for a special parliamentary session to formally question PRASA director over the recent massive water outage caused by a failure at the Sergio Cuevas plant. They also emphasized long-standing water shortages in rural communities across Puerto Rico.

Senator María de Lourdes Santiago (PIP) highlighted that the recent water cuts in the metro area reflect daily struggles for thousands of Puerto Rican families. She criticized the understaffing, poor equipment, and lack of transparency at PRASA.

Representative Denis Márquez condemned the director’s refusal to clarify the incident, initially blamed a private contractor, and warned against irresponsible suggestions of sabotage. He emphasized the agency’s growing inefficiency due to outsourcing and the erosion of institutional knowledge.

The PIP resolution would need approval from both legislative chambers when the next session begins on Monday, August 18.

Earlier, Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz (NPP) acknowledged PRASA’s management as a critical issue, stating, “The current leadership at PRASA is a major problem. The recent breakdowns are serious, but the new leadership making the governor look bad is just as urgent to fix.”