Havana water supply disrupted by major infrastructure failure

A major infrastructure failure has exacerbated the ongoing water crisis in Havana, Cuba. The state-owned company Aguas de La Habana announced a ‘complex breakdown in hydraulic infrastructure’ involving a 78-inch pipe and three leaks at the Cuenca Sur supply source. This emergency required the shutdown of the main conductor supplying the Central System.

The outage affects several municipalities, including Plaza de la Revolución, Diez de Octubre, Cerro, Centro Habana, Habana Vieja, and parts of Boyeros. The situation is compounded by long-term infrastructure decay and daily power outages, which hinder the operation of electric pumping systems.

Residents have resorted to carrying buckets and containers to collect water from leaks or rain. In some areas, the scarcity has led to the informal sale of water on social media for 350 pesos per gallon.