In Rural Puerto Rico, Water Systems Depend on Volunteers—and Threatened Federal Grants – Inside Climate News

 

Report on Community-Led Water Management and Sustainable Development in Rural Puerto Rico

Introduction: Water Access and the Sustainable Development Goals

In rural municipalities of Puerto Rico, a significant portion of the population remains disconnected from the main water system operated by the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA). These communities rely on smaller, independent aqueduct systems, often managed by unpaid volunteers. This situation presents critical challenges and opportunities related to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). The efforts of these communities to maintain water access amidst funding shortages and climate change impacts highlight a grassroots movement towards achieving SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Challenges to Sustainable Water Infrastructure

Community-managed water systems face significant obstacles that threaten their viability and the health of the residents they serve. These challenges directly impede progress on key SDG targets.

• Financial Instability: The systems are heavily dependent on federal funding, which is often subject to cuts. This financial precarity limits maintenance, purification efforts, and infrastructure upgrades, directly impacting the achievement of SDG 6. Miriam Matos Díaz, President of the Non-PRASA Aqueduct Systems Organization (OSAN), reports that while PRASA operates with billions, community systems perform essential work with minimal funds.
• Climate Change and Extreme Weather: Increased frequency and intensity of storms, a consequence of climate change, exacerbate the vulnerability of these systems. Hurricane Maria in 2017 caused the largest power blackout in U.S. history, leaving communities without running water for extended periods. This underscores the urgent need for climate-resilient infrastructure as outlined in SDG 13 (Climate Action).
• Regulatory Compliance: Small systems struggle to meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) due to a lack of resources for technology, maintenance, and certified operators. This creates a “Catch-22” where communities cannot afford compliance, leading to potential fines they also cannot afford.

Community-Led Solutions and Resilience

The Role of OSAN in Advancing SDG 6 and SDG 11

Founded by Miriam Matos Díaz in 2019 following Hurricane Maria, the Non-PRASA Aqueduct Systems Organization (OSAN) serves as a vital network for 73 independent water systems. OSAN’s work is a direct implementation of SDG 6.b (Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management).

• Support and Education: OSAN provides crucial support, education, and accompaniment to its member communities, fostering a collaborative environment to share knowledge and resources.
• Building Climate Resilience: In the wake of Hurricane Maria, many non-PRASA systems were retrofitted with renewable energy solutions. The Buenos Aires Community Aqueduct, managed by Matos, is an exemplary model of this approach.
  • It is powered by 48 solar panels and six Tesla batteries, making it independent of the main power grid.
  • This integration of renewable energy directly supports SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and enhances community resilience, a core tenet of SDG 11.
• Empowering Women Leaders: The leadership of women like Miriam Matos Díaz and the focus on engaging women in aqueduct management highlight progress towards SDG 5 (Gender Equality) by ensuring women’s full participation and leadership in community development.

Technological Innovation and Strategic Partnerships: The VersaWater Project

A key strategy for long-term sustainability involves introducing new, appropriate technologies through multi-stakeholder collaborations, a model championed by SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The VersaWater project is a primary example of this approach.

Project Overview and Goals

VersaWater is a collaborative effort between Cornell University, Syracuse University, the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, and community leaders like Matos. The project aims to introduce the AguaClara prefabricated water treatment system, which is designed to be more sustainable and easier for communities to manage.

• Focus on Surface Water: Unlike traditional groundwater systems, the AguaClara technology is designed to purify surface water, which requires less energy and is less costly to maintain. This is particularly relevant as climate change increases the risk of water source contamination during floods.
• Prefabricated and Accessible: The systems are manufactured elsewhere (e.g., Honduras) and assembled on-site, reducing the technical burden on communities and making advanced treatment technology more accessible.
• Capacity Building: A central goal is to build local capacity. This aligns with SDG 11 by empowering communities to manage their own resources sustainably. The project includes:
  1. Training on system operation and maintenance.
  2. Education on water quality regulations.
  3. Assistance in applying for federal grants, such as the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, to create financial independence.
  4. Social skills training in governance and problem analysis to address root causes of systemic issues.

Phase Two Implementation

Despite initial delays due to frozen federal grants, the VersaWater project is set to receive $5 million from the National Science Foundation to launch its second phase. This three-year phase will focus on installing three pilot systems and will prioritize community engagement, operator training, and system testing, further advancing the practical application of SDG 6, SDG 11, and SDG 17.

Conclusion: A Model for Sustainable Community Development

The efforts in rural Puerto Rico demonstrate a powerful model for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals from the ground up. Through community leadership, the adoption of renewable energy, and strategic partnerships for technological innovation, these communities are building resilient and sustainable water systems. The work of OSAN and the promise of the VersaWater project illustrate that empowering local communities is essential to ensuring clean water access (SDG 6), fostering climate resilience (SDG 13), and building truly sustainable communities (SDG 11) for all.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

• The article’s central theme is the struggle of rural communities in Puerto Rico to access clean, reliable drinking water. It details the efforts of community-led organizations like OSAN to maintain small-scale aqueduct systems that are not connected to the main water authority, PRASA.

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

• The article highlights the transition to renewable energy for powering water systems. Following Hurricane Maria, which caused a massive power blackout, many non-PRASA systems were upgraded with solar panels and batteries to ensure a continuous water supply, even when the main power grid fails. The Buenos Aires system, with its “48 solar panels, six Tesla batteries,” is a prime example.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

• The article discusses the need for resilient and sustainable infrastructure. This includes the community-maintained groundwater systems and the introduction of innovative technology like the “AguaClara prefabricated water treatment system,” which is designed to be less costly and easier for small communities to maintain.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• The focus is on making rural communities more resilient to disasters. The efforts to create independent, solar-powered water systems are a direct response to the vulnerabilities exposed by Hurricane Maria, aiming to protect residents from future disruptions in essential services.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• The article explicitly connects the water access issues to climate change, noting that “weather patterns attributable to climate change, such as more frequent and powerful storms, exacerbate this issue.” The initiatives described are adaptive measures to strengthen resilience against climate-related hazards.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• The article showcases numerous collaborations between different entities. This includes partnerships between community organizations (OSAN), nonprofits (Atma Connect, Oxfam, Water Mission), and academic institutions (Cornell University, Syracuse University) to mobilize resources, share knowledge, and implement technological solutions like the VersaWater project.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

1. Target 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.
• The article focuses on providing “potable water” to rural residents who are “not connected to the main water system.” The work of OSAN and volunteers aims to ensure this access despite a lack of federal funding and support.
2. Target 6.b: Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management.
• The entire narrative is built around community participation. OSAN, a “network of small water systems,” is run by unpaid community volunteers like Miriam Matos Díaz. The VersaWater project also emphasizes working “extensively with community members to integrate the systems and technology.”

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

1. Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
• The article describes how many non-PRASA systems were “powered by solar energy” to function during power outages. The Buenos Aires system is detailed as being “completely disconnected from the authorities” thanks to its solar panels and batteries, directly increasing the share of renewable energy in its local energy consumption.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

1. Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure… with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all.
• The article discusses the development of resilient water infrastructure that can withstand storms and power failures. The pilot project to bring the “AguaClara prefabricated water treatment system” to Puerto Rico is an effort to introduce innovative, sustainable, and more affordable infrastructure to rural communities.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

1. Target 11.5: By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected… caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations.
• The motivation for many of the initiatives stems from the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, which left many Puerto Ricans “without running water.” The development of off-grid, solar-powered water systems is a direct strategy to reduce the impact of future hurricanes on the population’s access to water.

SDG 13: Climate Action

1. Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
• The article explicitly states that the work is crucial because “more frequent and powerful storms” linked to climate change threaten water systems. Building solar-powered, independent aqueducts is a clear example of strengthening adaptive capacity to these climate-related hazards.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

1. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships…
• The article is rich with examples of such partnerships. The VersaWater project is a collaboration between universities (Cornell, Syracuse), community leaders (Miriam Matos), and nonprofits. OSAN itself collaborates with organizations like Atma Connect, and received donations from Oxfam and the Hispanic Federation.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

1. Indicator 6.1.1: Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services.
• This is implied by the goal of providing “potable water” that meets “the EPA’s standards for drinking water.” The number of families served by these systems, such as the “65 families in Buenos Aires,” serves as a proxy measure.
2. Indicator 6.b.1: Proportion of local administrative units with established and operational policies and procedures for participation of local communities in water and sanitation management.
• The existence and operation of OSAN, an organization representing “73 affiliated water supply systems,” and its community-led maintenance, education, and governance activities serve as a direct measure of this indicator.

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

1. Indicator 7.2.1: Renewable energy share in the total final energy consumption.
• The article provides specific numbers for the Buenos Aires system: “48 solar panels, six Tesla batteries.” This data can be used to calculate the renewable energy share for that specific water system, which is described as “completely disconnected from the authorities,” implying a 100% renewable share for its operation.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

1. Indicator 9.1.1: Proportion of the rural population who live within 2 km of an all-season road.
• While not directly about roads, the principle of access for rural populations is central. Progress can be measured by the number of pilot systems installed, such as the plan to “install a small surface water treatment system in a Puerto Rican community by fall of 2026.”

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

1. Indicator 11.5.1: Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.
• Progress is measured by the prevention of future crises. The success of the resilient systems would be indicated by the number of people who retain access to clean water during and after a major storm or power outage, thus reducing the number of “directly affected persons.”

SDG 13: Climate Action

1. Indicator 13.1.2: Number of countries and local governments that have adopted and implemented local disaster risk reduction strategies.
• The community-level adoption of independent, solar-powered water systems is a tangible local disaster risk reduction strategy. The 73 water systems affiliated with OSAN represent distinct local efforts to implement such strategies.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

1. Indicator 17.16.1: Number of countries reporting progress in multi-stakeholder development effectiveness monitoring frameworks.
• The article provides concrete financial data for these partnerships, which can be used as a measure of mobilized resources. Examples include the “$500,000” EPA grant, the “$650,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF),” and the subsequent “$5 million in funding from the NSF.” The number of partners involved (OSAN, Cornell, Syracuse, Atma Connect, etc.) is also a key metric.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators’ to present the findings from analyzing the article.

SDGs	Targets	Indicators
SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation	6.1: Achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water. 6.b: Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water management.	– Number of families served by non-PRASA systems (e.g., 65 families in Buenos Aires). – Compliance with EPA drinking water standards. – Number of community-led water organizations (OSAN) and their affiliated systems (73).
SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy	7.2: Increase substantially the share of renewable energy.	– Number of renewable energy installations for water systems (e.g., “48 solar panels, six Tesla batteries”). – Number of water systems operating off-grid on renewable energy.
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure	9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure.	– Implementation of innovative water treatment technologies (AguaClara system). – Number of pilot projects for resilient infrastructure installed.
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities	11.5: Significantly reduce the number of people affected by disasters.	– Number of residents maintaining access to running water during power outages or after storms. – Reduction in water service disruption time post-disaster compared to Hurricane Maria.
SDG 13: Climate Action	13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards.	– Number of communities with local disaster risk reduction strategies (e.g., independent, solar-powered water systems). – Implementation of infrastructure designed to withstand more frequent and powerful storms.
SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals	17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.	– Amount of financial resources mobilized through partnerships (e.g., NSF grants of $650,000 and $5 million). – Number of multi-stakeholder partnerships formed (e.g., VersaWater project involving universities, nonprofits, and community groups).

Source: insideclimatenews.org