Water crisis management in Nueva Esparta

The government of Nueva Esparta has initiated a water contingency plan to address shortages caused by failures in the Turimiquire system. Initial efforts focused on deploying over 20 super-cisterns to serve 11 municipalities and progressing with the installation of 20 desalination plants, which reached 70% completion in areas including Los Cocos, Bahía de Plata, and El Turpial. Technical projects were also finalized to optimize the San Juan and La Aguada dikes.

As the crisis continued, authorities expanded household support by distributing water storage tanks through the Instituto Neoespartano Socialista para la Vivienda y Hábitat (Insvih). By the latter stage of reporting, 971 tanks had been delivered across the region to assist families in storing water provided by cisterns.

In response to the ongoing shortages, regional lawmaker Johan Yánez called for national negotiations to address structural issues such as electricity and water supply. Yánez proposed using foreign assets and oil revenues to fund long-term infrastructure solutions, including the construction of a new submarine aqueduct.

To manage these challenges, Governor Marisel Velásquez has established a permanent working group to coordinate responses for water and power stability. This group includes the Sectorial Vice President of Public Works and Services, Juan Ramírez, and ministers of electricity and water. Current initiatives focus on the reconnection of the Turimiquire system, the activation of desalination plants, and reinforced water distribution via cisterns. Additionally, the Luisa Cáceres de Arismendi thermoelectric plant is expected to add 40 MW to the electrical supply by the end of the year to optimize service.