A young woman from Marianao has taken to social media to voice her frustration over a 12-day stretch without potable water in her neighborhood. She described the situation as "disgraceful" and demanded a resolution within 24 hours.
In a video shared by influencer Alain Paparazzi Cubano, the woman recounted that the only water supply during this period was a mere trickle, insufficient to fill any container.
As a result of this scarcity, private water trucks have become the sole option, but at a steep cost she deems unreasonable: 45,000 Cuban pesos per service. This is a stark increase from March, when the price was around 7,000 pesos.
Expressing her frustration, she questioned, "How long will this disgrace continue? They take away our electricity, our water. What else will they take?"
The woman also highlighted the practical repercussions of the shortage: food spoiling and daily life becoming untenable. "Food goes bad, and they don't care. If they don't care about our families, why should we care about them?" she stated.
She was adamant about not participating in the informal water market: "I won't pay for any truck, because I refuse to. Water is something everyone should have access to. It's not something we should even have to demand."
Her message concluded with a firm ultimatum: "I demand that water be restored within 24 hours. This isn't a threat; I'm just an ordinary citizen who's fed up with having to scrape by while you have everything, and now you're trying to take even this from us."
The 45,000 pesos mentioned by the complainant represents the higher end of the informal market in the capital, where standard loads range from 18,000 to 26,000 pesos, and can peak at 50,000 in severely affected areas. To put this in perspective, the minimum wage in Cuba is 2,100 pesos, making a single water truck equivalent to eight to 21 minimum wages.
Marianao is among the hardest-hit municipalities in the capital due to this dual crisis. The structural issue lies in the fact that 87% of Havana's water system relies on the electrical grid to power its pumps, and blackouts in July 2026 have lasted between 22 and 30 hours daily, rendering any pumping efforts futile.
The scale of the water crisis in the capital continues to escalate: in April 2026, around 200,000 people faced supply issues; by May, the number had risen to 376,000 affected individuals in Havana; and this month, according to specialists from the state-run Aguas de La Habana company, more than half a million residents are suffering. Nationally, approximately 2.7 million Cubans are experiencing daily water shortages.
Marianao has a history of protests in 2026 directly linked to this issue. On July 1, residents of the Zamora neighborhood took to the streets, banging pots and pans and shouting "Freedom!" and "water and power" after more than 24 hours without electricity and days without water.
On July 6, another resident from the same area reported a full week without water and 38 consecutive hours without power. Earlier, in June, there had already been similar protests in Marianao due to the lack of running water.
Understanding the Water Crisis in Marianao
What are the main reasons behind the water shortage in Marianao?
The water shortage in Marianao is primarily due to the dependency of Havana's water system on the electrical grid, which has been experiencing prolonged blackouts. These outages prevent the operation of water pumps, leading to a severe water supply crisis.
How does the cost of private water trucks compare to the average salary in Cuba?
The cost of private water trucks in Marianao can reach up to 45,000 Cuban pesos, which is significantly higher than the minimum wage of 2,100 pesos. This means a single water delivery can cost between eight to 21 times the monthly minimum salary.