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In a significant development, Morovis Mayor Carmen Maldonado González appeared before the U.S. District Court in San Juan on Tuesday to address longstanding grievances regarding inadequate water services provided by the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA). Despite consistent payments, communities within Morovis have endured an inconsistent water supply, with some residents going without access for weeks at a time.
Maldonado González expressed her determination to fight for the rights of her constituents through various avenues, including meetings, public hearings and protests.
“The people of Morovis have suffered for too long due to intermittent, and in some cases, non-existent drinking water service,” the mayor said. “Since my tenure began in January 2017, we have spent over a million dollars to mitigate these challenges, with no reimbursement from PRASA.”
In an effort to escalate the issue, the municipality filed a claim with the Court of Appeals in Boston in October 2023. While PRASA management initially sought to block the hearing, both parties were ultimately allowed to present their arguments before Judges David Barron, Ojetta R. Thompson and Julie Rikelman, who will review the case and issue a ruling.
Maldonado González, who recently began her third four-year term, underscored the public corporation’s failure to fulfill its duty to residents, stating: “Just as quickly as they send out invoices each month, they should provide the service that residents are paying for.”
For years, media reports have highlighted PRASA’s lack of accountability regarding a reported 60% water loss, exacerbating the issue of insufficient water service for many communities across Puerto Rico. Maldonado González remains steadfast in her pursuit of justice, emphasizing that her administration will not relent until a resolution is reached.
“Years pass, and this inefficiency is accepted as normal,” she said. “Imagine if for every dollar you earned, they took sixty cents. That’s the situation with PRASA. We will continue this fight because we seek justice.”
