Kevin Martínez, a restaurant owner in Matanzas, made a decision he once thought unimaginable: he had a well drilled at his establishment to avoid shutting down every time the water supply vanished. His story, reported by AFP, highlights the desperation felt by thousands of Cubans ensnared in an unprecedented water crisis.
"Several times we had to close the place because we didn't have water... and that's what led us to the point of drilling the well," he explained.
The entrepreneur hired well-driller Elizardo Cardoso, who found water just 10 meters deep. "I never imagined I'd have to dig a well, just like I never thought I'd have to cook with charcoal or install solar panels," he added.
Though the decision was "a bit expensive," it freed him from purchasing private water tankers three times weekly. The cost has skyrocketed from 4,000 to as much as 10,000 pesos for a 4,000-liter tanker.
Throughout the country, it's a common sight to see people filling tanks and carrying buckets back to their homes, sometimes hauling them up staircases by hand.
Widespread Water Challenges
According to official figures, water doesn't reach the homes of 2.7 million Cubans, nearly 29% of the island's 9.4 million residents. Yunior González, a senior official at the national Water and Sanitation company, admitted to AFP that between 80% and 85% of the distributed water must be pumped to reach homes, meaning every power outage automatically cuts off the supply.
Yusimy Guerra, a 40-year-old mother of two, describes the situation: "The power cuts happen every day here, and we have to keep hauling water. It's a daily struggle."
The reliance on the electrical grid for pumping—87% of Cuban water systems operate this way—is a major factor in the crisis. Compounding the issue are pipes, 60 to 70 years old, losing between 40% and 70% of water before it reaches faucets, equipment failures, and persistent drought.
Cuban Ingenuity in the Face of Crisis
More Cubans are digging wells in their yards by hand, building cisterns, or using so-called "thief pumps," which siphon water from public mains and force it into homes, lowering pressure for neighbors.
In Manzanillo, a team of well-drillers manually dug a 36-meter well without machinery, drawing astonishment. In Matanzas, the number of homemade wells in the La Playa neighborhood surged from 20 to over 40 in just a few months, responding to pumping instability and prolonged service outages.
The crisis has also sparked social protests. Several Havana municipalities witnessed demonstrations over water shortages in recent months, with roadblocks occurring in Diez de Octubre, Jaimanitas, Old Havana, and Arroyo Naranjo.
Government Initiatives and Future Prospects
The regime claims to have taken measures: the historic Albear Aqueduct—inaugurated in 1893 and supplying five capital municipalities—added two large diesel backup generators, and over 870 solar-powered water pumps have been installed out of the 1,300 planned, benefiting half a million Cubans.
The government also plans 200 megawatts of photovoltaic parks dedicated to pumping, aiming to reduce national grid dependence by 2027.
However, officials themselves warn these programs are costly, unable to swiftly address the urgent needs of a populace that can no longer wait for institutional solutions, resorting instead to digging their own wells with pickaxes and shovels.
FAQs on Cuba's Water Crisis
Why are Cubans digging their own wells?
Cubans are resorting to digging their own wells due to the severe water shortages and unreliable public water supply, exacerbated by aging infrastructure and frequent power outages.
How is the Cuban government addressing the water crisis?
The Cuban government has implemented measures such as installing solar-powered water pumps and backup generators for aqueducts, while planning photovoltaic parks to reduce reliance on the national grid.
What are "thief pumps" and why are they used?
"Thief pumps" are devices that siphon water from public mains to supply individual households, often used in response to the inconsistent public water distribution in Cuba.