NEARLY 3 MILLION CUBANS FACE DAILY WATER SHORTAGES AMID WORSENING FUEL CRISIS AND STRAINED INFRASTRUCTURE. (PHOTO).

 Nearly 3 million Cubans face daily water shortages amid worsening fuel crisis and strained infrastructure

 Nearly 3 million Cubans are facing daily water shortages as a severe fuel crisis cripples the island’s water distribution system, with officials blaming a U.S. energy blockade while acknowledging widespread infrastructure and supply failures.

Authorities say Cuba’s water system is currently operating with just 37% of the fuel it needs, deepening what they describe as the country’s most severe energy crisis in years. Water services are among the hardest hit because pumping, treatment, and distribution depend heavily on fuel and electricity.

The head of the state-run National Institute of Water Resources said the agency’s operations have been severely constrained, noting that essential work such as unclogging pipes, repairing leaks, and maintaining septic systems all require fuel. He added that chemical supplies needed for water treatment are also in short supply, with imports effectively stalled.

Officials also pointed to a steep decline in funding and access to materials. The agency once spent roughly $100 million annually on parts and supplies, but that figure has fallen to about $10 million in the past year amid tightened credit conditions and disrupted supply chains. Many foreign suppliers, officials said, have paused or delayed contracts due to uncertainty over payments and shipping constraints.

The crisis has been compounded by aging infrastructure and overloaded pumping systems, particularly in major cities such as Havana, Santiago de Cuba, and Matanzas. In many multi-story buildings, water must be pumped electrically to rooftop storage tanks, adding further strain to an already unstable power grid.

The water shortages come amid broader economic hardship across the country, which has endured years of inflation, shortages, and prolonged daily blackouts that can last up to 20 hours. Tanker trucks have been deployed in some neighborhoods to deliver water, but residents say the service is irregular and insufficient.

Some residents described long gaps between deliveries, with one Havana teacher saying it had been five days since water last arrived in her neighborhood. Others, including elderly residents, said they rely on neighbors for help when tanker trucks do come, or struggle to carry water themselves due to age and physical limitations.

In some areas, residents travel from other parts of the city after hearing that water trucks are arriving, highlighting the uneven distribution of supplies. “The water situation is widespread,” one resident said, noting that he must go to another municipality just to collect water.

Officials said only a small portion of the water system currently operates using solar or alternative energy sources, though there are plans to expand renewable energy capacity. However, experts note that scaling up such systems would require significant investment and time.

The government has tied the crisis to long-standing sanctions and recent tightening of restrictions, which it says have limited access to fuel, financing, and imported goods. Meanwhile, residents continue to face daily uncertainty as both energy and water systems struggle to meet basic demand.