.
Two residents fill buckets and jugs with water from spigots on the back of a tanker truck along a Puerto Rico roadside.

Residents collect water from a tanker truck in Puerto Rico, where severe drought and aging infrastructure have forced cities to ration water. Photo: PBS NewsHour

Drought and Aging Infrastructure Plunge Puerto Rico into a Water Crisis

August 11, 2026

Drought and Aging Infrastructure Plunge Puerto Rico into a Water Crisis

Severe drought has forced Puerto Rican cities to ration water, exposing the island's aging infrastructure and frustration over the government's response. Students explore how families are coping and who bears responsibility for a fix.

Share

Share On Facebook
Share On Twitter
Share On Pinterest
Share On LinkedIn
Share On Microsoft Teams
Email
PBS News Hour Classroom
PBS News Hour Classroom
Follow

Puerto Rico is facing yet another crisis as major cities are rationing water for residents due to severe drought conditions. This problem is also exposing the island’s aging water infrastructure and lack of immediate government action, leaving many frustrated. For more on how families are coping and what officials are saying, Deema Zein spoke with investigative reporter Laura Perez Sanchez.

View the transcript of the story.

NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?

Warm-Up Questions

  1. How is Puerto Rico responding to severe drought?
  2. When will water be shut off throughout Puerto Rico?
  3. Who is Laura Perez Sanchez, and what is her background?
  4. Why are some residents frustrated with the government's response to the drought, according to Sanchez?
  5. What does Sanchez expect to happen over the rest of the year?

Essential Questions

  1. Why do you think this story does not describe aid offered to Puerto Rico from the federal government? Do you believe any such aid might be forthcoming?
  2. This segment mentions failing water infrastructure as being a contributor to the water crisis. Do you think repairing this infrastructure should be a priority of the federal government? Why or why not?
  3. Media literacy: Why do you think the producers of this segment chose to interview Laura Perez Sanchez for the story? What does her personal perspective bring to the segment that might not be possible with a journalist who didn't live in Puerto Rico?

What Students Can Do

First, read the following article from last year, "Puerto Rico governor's effort to eliminate renewable energy goals sparks pushback"

Next, consider the following questions, and discuss as a class:

  • How might the need to restructure energy infrastructure be related to the current water crisis?
  • Why do you think the government of Puerto Rico has moved away from renewable energy?
  • If Puerto Rico continues to experience increasingly severe weather (such as hurricanes and droughts), what do you think is the most important thing the country could do to protect its infrastructure and the people that depend on it?

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Want to see more stories like this one? Subscribe to the SML e-newsletter!

Sign Up Here.

Republished with permission from PBS News Hour Classroom.

PBS News Hour Classroom
PBS News Hour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of News Hour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
Advertisement

Post a comment

Log in or sign up to post a comment.