A TikTok video has starkly highlighted the difficult reality many Cubans face in their struggle to access water amidst the persistent decline of basic services on the island.
Captured by user @.daris.isisda.a.d, the footage reveals a group of individuals using a wheelbarrow and numerous plastic containers to collect water at the Argentina sugar mill, one of two remaining sugar mills in the Florida municipality of Camagüey. This water is used for essential needs, like bathing.
"Look where we have to get water to bathe, folks. The struggle is real for Cubans," remarks the woman recording the video, as she shows the scene: a set of dilapidated railroad tracks surrounded by overgrowth and crumbling industrial structures.
The video details how young people fill their containers from a spot where water gathers, manually filling them and then transporting the containers on a makeshift wheelbarrow down a dirt path amidst an environment of neglect.
The Argentina sugar mill, seemingly inactive for years, stands as a relic of a once-thriving industry, with rusting train cars and rundown industrial buildings symbolizing the decay of a sector that was once a cornerstone of the country's economy.
The footage has sparked numerous reactions online, with many lamenting that in 2026, Cubans are still forced to rely on improvised water sources due to the unreliable supply in their communities.
The potable water crisis has become a recurring issue across various provinces, plagued by leaks, broken infrastructure, and a lack of investment.
Meanwhile, citizens are left to fend for themselves, especially in the most vulnerable neighborhoods, as they navigate a precarious situation that highlights the regime's failure to provide basic services.
This video underscores a daily struggle for countless Cuban families: the need to "invent" solutions in the face of absent guaranteed services.
Understanding Cuba's Water Crisis
What is causing the water crisis in Cuba?
The water crisis in Cuba is primarily due to failing infrastructure, including leaks and breaks in the hydraulic networks, alongside insufficient investment in water systems.
How are Cubans coping with the lack of water?
Cubans are improvising by sourcing water from alternative places, such as abandoned sugar mills, and using personal means like wheelbarrows to transport it for daily use.