Nearly three million Cubans are facing daily water shortages due to a severe lack of fuel, which officials blame on tightened US sanctions. The state-run National Institute of Water Resources says the water system is operating with only 37% of the fuel it needs, as the island endures its worst energy crisis in decades.
Antonio Rodríguez, president of the institute, said the water sector is among the hardest hit because it is one of the country's largest energy consumers. Fuel is required not only for pumping but also for essential maintenance tasks such as unclogging pipes, cleaning septic tanks and repairing leaks. Chemical imports have also ground to a halt.
Rodríguez noted that the agency once spent around $100 million annually on parts and supplies, but last year that figure fell to just $10 million due to a total suspension of credit. Many suppliers are now holding back on contracts, uncertain about when deliveries can be made or how payments will be processed.
Aging infrastructure and overburdened pumping stations are compounding the problem, particularly in large cities like Havana, Santiago de Cuba and Matanzas. Many high-rise buildings rely on electric pumps to lift water to elevated tanks, but power outages lasting up to 20 hours a day have become routine.
Residents in Havana described the struggle to obtain water. Magaly Ribial, a 60-year-old teacher, said she had not had water for five days and was collecting it from a tanker truck in Old Havana. Dayse Izquierdo, aged 95, relies on neighbours to carry water for her. Some people travel from other parts of the city when they hear a truck has arrived.
Authorities are promoting a solar energy programme, but experts warn that such technologies require significant investment. Meanwhile, the US has tightened sanctions and threatened tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba, which produces only 40% of its fuel needs.
