The ongoing energy crisis has severely impacted the water supply in Santiago de Cuba, with certain areas experiencing up to 48 days without service. This alarming situation was acknowledged on Saturday by Orlando Romero Veranes, the director of engineering at the state-run Agua Santiago company.
In an interview with the official newspaper Sierra Maestra, Romero explained that the root cause of the water supply breakdown is the inability to operate pumping stations, which receive only two to three hours of electricity daily. This shortfall effectively halts water distribution to neighborhoods reliant on these systems.
"In Altamira, circuits are receiving water service after 30 to 40 days. The situation is extremely critical in the El Cristo area, where some circuits have been without service for 39 to 48 days due to electrical failures at the pumping station," confirmed Romero.
The San Juan-Sevilla sector is facing a similarly dire situation. "Some sectors or hydrometric circuits have exceeded 40 days without water. While efforts have been made to address obstructions, the primary disruptions stem from electrical failures," the official noted.
In this same sector, theft of oil from transformers has forced operations to rely on a single pumping unit, causing water cycles of over 15 days in the 30 de Noviembre district and more than 18 days along the coast.
Areas like La Socapa and Cayo Caracoles receive water through arrangements with Navegación Caribe, which transports fuel via barge to power the pumps.
The Quintero system, which supplies the majority of the city, receives 98% of its planned water from reservoirs, but can only operate by gravity in two of them. The remaining reservoirs require electric pumping, which cannot be consistently provided.
Sectors supplied by gravity have seen their delivery intervals stretched from 10-12 days to 10-14 days.
The Santa María route experiences cycles of 20 to 30 days for buildings dependent on pumping. The pumping station at La República has had a burnt-out pump for over four months and is reliant on external tanker trucks. El Cobre, within the Loma del Burro circuit, has been without service for 22 days.
The Parada system is further plagued by mechanical issues in bearings and equipment, affecting the Mar Verde road, Polipalos, La Loma, and La Candela, among other circuits.
This situation is neither new nor isolated. In March, Santiago had 50 inoperative water systems and fecal contamination in the water, impacting 180,000 residents.
By December 2025, municipalities served by Aguas Turquino had accumulated over 100 days without service despite full reservoirs, highlighting that the issue is not with water reserves but with pumping capacity.
The collapse can be attributed to decades of underinvestment and the structural decay of the National Electric System (SEN). Nationally, 87% of aqueducts depend on the SEN, the water system operates with just 37% of the needed fuel, and nearly 2.7 million Cubans lack regular access to potable water.
The informal market has become the only option for many, with private water trucks selling at prices between 7,000 and 15,000 Cuban pesos in a city where the average salary cannot meet this basic need.
Romero Veranes mentioned a potential improvement with the installation of solar pumps for motors up to 20 kW, a project currently in the terrain assessment phase with Inotu, though no dates or funding have been confirmed.
Understanding the Water Crisis in Santiago de Cuba
What is causing the water supply delays in Santiago de Cuba?
The water supply delays in Santiago de Cuba are primarily caused by inadequate electricity to operate pumping stations, compounded by theft of transformer oil and mechanical issues in equipment.
How long have some areas been without water in Santiago de Cuba?
Certain areas in Santiago de Cuba have been without water for up to 48 days due to the current crisis.
What measures are being taken to improve the water supply situation?
The authorities have proposed installing solar pumps for motors up to 20 kW as a potential solution, although this project is still in its early stages without confirmed dates or funding.