Puerto Rico lawmaker proposes measures to strengthen island’s water infrastructure

At-large Rep. Tatiana Pérez Ramírez introduced a package of bills aimed at strengthening Puerto Rico’s water infrastructure, addressing sediment buildup and declining reservoir capacity, according to legislative measures filed at the Capitol.

By THE STAR STAFF

At-large Rep. Tatiana Pérez Ramírez has introduced a package of legislative measures to address sediment buildup, declining water storage capacity, and structural deterioration affecting Puerto Rico’s major reservoirs.

The initiatives seek to strengthen the island’s water infrastructure at a time when studies warn that Puerto Rico continues to face recurring droughts, while reservoirs are losing usable capacity due to sediment accumulation, erosion, and invasive vegetation. Those conditions have worsened in recent years following the impact of major hurricanes.

Among the measures is Joint Resolution 26-2026, formerly House Joint Resolution 47, which the governor has signed. The resolution directs the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority, the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, and the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority to seek federal funds to dredge reservoirs under their administration.

The resolution calls for a continuous maintenance-dredging model designed to remove more sediment than is deposited annually, allowing reservoirs to gradually recover their water-storage capacity. It also requires the agencies to collect hydrological data in coordination with the U.S. Geological Survey, identify applicable federal funding with the Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency, and submit a compliance plan within 180 days.

The legislative package also includes House Bill 1305, which would require the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources and the Aqueduct and Sewer Authority to prepare a 10-year dredging plan. The bill also proposes an interagency program for water collection in high-elevation areas, reforestation with native vegetation, and erosion-control efforts in watersheds.

House Resolutions 610 and 128 would order investigations into reservoir sedimentation, dam conditions, and actions taken by the Aqueduct and Sewer Authority and the Electric Power Authority to restore storage capacity. According to the measures, some reservoirs have lost between 27 percent and more than 50 percent of their useful capacity due to long-term sediment accumulation and limited maintenance.

“If we want to ensure Puerto Rico never lacks water, we must act with vision and responsibility,” Pérez Ramírez said. “Our reservoirs have endured decades of sedimentation, erosion, and neglect. With these measures, we are addressing the root cause of the problem and beginning to restore the infrastructure that supports the daily lives of every family.”