Water Crisis in Artemisa: Power Outages and Broken Pumps Leave 65% Without Water

In Artemisa province, over 225,000 residents, accounting for 65% of the population, are struggling with irregular water supply. This dire situation is attributed to persistent power outages and the deteriorating condition of pumping equipment, as reported by the Provincial Water and Sewer Company on Friday, highlighting the severe water crisis gripping the region.

The report specified that approximately 200,000 people are directly affected by the lack of electricity needed to operate water pumps. An additional 25,000 residents are impacted due to equipment failures, detailed in a report from the provincial newspaper, El Artemiseño.

Jorge Cobas Vidal, director of the Provincial Water and Sewer Company, identified the hardest-hit municipalities as San Cristóbal, Candelaria, Artemisa, Bahía Honda, and Guanajay. In these areas, water pumps remain inactive for 20 to 22 hours daily due to power shortages.

Severe Impact in San Cristóbal

The situation is most critical in San Cristóbal, where electrical circuit 341 has experienced continuous outages exceeding 24 hours. The brief two-hour power supply is insufficient to serve communities like Fierro, López Peña, Santa Cruz, el Lácteo, Florencio Morejón, Mango Jobo, and Campo de Tiro.

In the provincial capital, the scenario is equally grim. "The Waterloo well often remains off for 24 hours, delaying water delivery to the high-population areas between streets 22 and 40, especially near the Tomás Romay polyclinic. Water stagnates in low areas during the two-hour pumping after a long outage. At least 12 hours of continuous pumping are necessary for water to reach the most affected zones," explained Cobas Vidal.

Challenges Across Other Regions

In Guanajay, the La Loma neighborhood requires consistent pumping from its water source, while the Beliert source frequently experiences shutdowns exceeding 16 hours. In Bahía Honda and Punta de Piedra, the rebombing system also fails to fulfill its role. "Two or three hours of electricity are insufficient for supply," the director admitted.

Las Terrazas in Candelaria depends on circuit 1570, described by authorities as the most complex in the province. Of the 42 submersible pumps in Artemisa, three await repairs in San José de las Lajas, Mayabeque, where regions with more breakdowns are prioritized.

Despite this, the state media notes, "Artemisa is not among the territories with the highest number of breakdowns."

Fuel Shortages and Illegal Water Sales

Water delivery via state or private trucks also faces hurdles due to fuel shortages. Cobas additionally warned of detected illegalities in water sales and profiteering from fuel meant for transporting water, though he acknowledged that most complaints do not evolve into formal accusations.

The crisis in Artemisa is part of a broader water collapse affecting the entire island. In Santiago de Cuba, areas like Altamira and El Cristo have gone 39 to 48 days without water service due to electrical failures at rebombing stations. In Guantánamo, distribution cycles have extended to 25 days, with around 60,000 individuals relying on a single pumping system.

In Camagüey, authorities recently advised boiling water due to a gas chlorine shortage, with 30 to 40 daily cases of hepatitis A reported. Official data from May confirmed that nearly three million Cubans lack regular access to potable water, with millions experiencing intermittent supply.

The hydraulic system operates with only 37% of the required fuel, and 87% of the country's aqueducts depend on the National Electrical System, making every power outage a simultaneous water cut for hundreds of thousands of people.