In the midst of record-high summer temperatures and a months-long drought, the people of San Juan, Puerto Rico have endured a water crisis that has seen the resource rationed. By August 1, hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans had already gone 100 days without reliable access to fresh water.

As reported by Reuters, more than 180,000 people in San Juan and surrounding areas must face 48 hours without running water for every 48 hours with it. Although many officials in the U.S.’s colonial administration may want to refer to this crisis as an “act of God,” in reality, it is anything but. While the drought preceding this crisis had San Juan facing its driest July on record in 2026, it is not an isolated incident. It is simply the newest trigger-point for a much larger issue facing Puerto Rico that has gone on since the United States first began administering the island in 1898.