And even where there is water, officials are advising residents to boil it beforehand, to ensure that it is safe to consume. “Dozens of water and wastewater treatment plants remain inactive after the hurricane. And damage to the laboratories where water quality is analyzed has forced the island’s water authority to outsource the task to private entities,” NBC News reported. On Wednesday, FEMA announced that it had authorized $70 million dollars to the Puerto Rican government to restore water safety.
These reports come as the humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico remains dire. Roughly 35 percent of residents still don’t have access to clean, safe drinking water, and an even larger portion of the population still does not have electricity.