Summit to be held in Corozal to address drinking water woes

Speaker of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Nuñez, right foreground, met with District 28 Rep. Axel Roque and Corozal Mayor Luis García on Monday before announcing a summit to be held in the municipality to find a solution to the drinking water crisis impacting some 40% of residents.

By The Star Staff

Speaker of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Nuñez, along with District 28 (Naranjito, Corozal, Barranquitas and Comerío) Rep. Axel “Chino” Roque and Corozal Mayor Luis “Luiggi” García, announced a summit meeting to be held in the municipality to find a solution to the drinking water crisis impacting some 40% of residents.

“Forty percent of our residents in Corozal suffer daily problems with their drinking water supply from the Negros filtration and pumping plant,” Roque said. “This is a problem that has gone unresolved for many years, and it’s one we need to resolve as soon as possible. Therefore […] we will convene a summit meeting in Corozal as soon as possible so that Luis González, executive president of the Aqueduct and Sewer Authority, other government officials, and affected residents, among others, can discuss short-term alternatives to mitigate this water shortage.”

Roque, who chairs the House Tourism Committee, highlighted the “urgent” need for a mechanism to ensure the flow of drinking water.

According to data from the United States Census Bureau, there were some 34,474 residents in the area in 2023, 14,000 of whom are experiencing prolonged periods, even days, without drinking water service due to power outages and problems with rainfall management, among other issues.

“The reality is that the construction of the new Negros Dam will take until 2028 to complete,” the legislator said. “We are convinced that this new water structure, supported by new pumping and filtration systems, will permanently resolve the situation. However, we need to implement something. I want to remind you that Corozal isn’t the only one affected; there are also sectors of the municipalities of Naranjito and even Vega Alta that are going days without water.”

Roque’s remarks came at the conclusion of a meeting with Méndez, García and members of the Corozal Water Commission, among others.