Please leave this field empty
Donate Monthly Make a Gift Renew Your Membership Ways to Give
Food & Water Watch Food & Water Watch Food & Water Watch
  • About
  • Problems
  • Campaigns
  • Impacts
  • Research
  • Contact
Donate Monthly Make a Gift Renew Your Membership Ways to Give
  • facebook
  • twitter
Please leave this field empty
Food & Water Watch Food & Water Watch
$
Menu
  • About
  • News
  • Research Library
  • Contact
  • Careers
  • Donate
Search
Please leave this field empty
  • facebook
  • twitter

One Month After Hurricane Maria, Federal Government Must Answer for Recent Decline in Access to Safe Drinking Water in Puerto Rico

The Federal government must answer for this apparent set back in an already dire situation.

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • google-plus
  • envelope

We all need safe food and clean water.

Donate
10.18.17

Statement by Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director, Food & Water Watch

Washington, D.C. – “It’s been nearly one month since Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, and yesterday, official numbers on drinking water access inexplicably declined from 72% to 65%. The Federal government must answer for this apparent set back in an already dire situation. The number has crept up to only 69% today, when we should be seeing much more significant progress. Anyone who does not have tap water available should be provided with access to clean drinking water.

“Less than 20 percent of the island has power, which is needed for water treatment and distribution. The EPA had to issue a warning telling desperate people not to consume water from wells at contaminated toxic waste sites, and many are relying on stream water, which carries the risk of contracting diseases like leptospirosis. Residents are already dying from drinking tainted water.

“The food system shock from this unnatural disaster is also alarming. The hurricane obliterated about 80 percent of Puerto Rico’s crop value, and only 88 percent of grocery stores are open – and those that are open aren’t fully stocked.

“We must finally begin to put people before profit, and rebuild Puerto Rico’s food, water and energy systems to better withstand future disasters. We must also finally develop policies that reckon with this climate-induced chaos and move swiftly off of fossil fuels.

“Congress should fully fund Puerto Rico’s humanitarian aid and reconstruction, and consider debt forgiveness. We need urgent federal action in the form of a just and equitable humanitarian response and federal funding to rebuild Puerto Rico sustainably. Anything less is an abrogation of moral responsibility for all Americans.”

Food & Water Watch champions healthy food and clean water for all. We stand up to corporations that put profits before people, and advocate for a democracy that improves people’s lives and protects our environment.

###

Contact: Darcey Rakestraw, 202-683-2467; [email protected]

Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly version

Monsanto's Roundup is a "probable human carcinogen." We need to ban it!

Get the latest on your food and water with news, research and urgent actions.

Please leave this field empty

Latest News

  • BLUE COMMUNITIES: Learn What They Are And Get Started

    BLUE COMMUNITIES: Learn What They Are And Get Started

  • Tom Vilsack’s Cozy Relationship With Big Ag Makes Him A Non-Starter at USDA

    Tom Vilsack’s Cozy Relationship With Big Ag Makes Him A Non-Starter at USDA

  • Trump’s Out, Biden’s In! Now The Fight Of Our Lives On Climate Begins.

    Trump’s Out, Biden’s In! Now The Fight Of Our Lives On Climate Begins.

See More News & Opinions

For Media: See our latest press releases and statements

Food & Water Insights

Looking for more insights and our latest research?

Visit our policy & research library
  • Eversource’s Plan to Privatize New Hartford’s Water

  • The Urgent Case for a Moratorium on Mega-Dairies in New Mexico

  • Fracking, Power Plants and Exports: Three Steps for Meaningful Climate Action

Fracking activist with stickersFracking activist in hatLegal team loves family farmsFood & Water Watch organizer protecting your food

Work locally, make a difference.

Get active in your community.

Food & Water Impact

  • Victories
  • Stories
  • Facts
  • Trump, Here's a Better Use for $25 Billion

  • Here's How We're Going to Build the Clean Energy Revolution

  • How a California Activist Learned to Think Locally

Keep drinking water safe and affordable for everyone.

Take Action
food & water watch logo
en Español

Food & Water Watch mobilizes regular people to build political power to move bold & uncompromised solutions to the most pressing food, water, and climate problems of our time. We work to protect people’s health, communities, and democracy from the growing destructive power of the most powerful economic interests.

Food & Water Watch is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

Food & Water Action is a 501(c)4 organization.

Food & Water Watch Headquarters

1616 P Street, NW,
Washington, DC 20036

Main: 202.683.2500

Contact your regional office.

Work with us: See all job openings

  • Problems
    • Broken Democracy
    • Climate Change & Environment
    • Corporate Control of Food
    • Corporate Control of Water
    • Factory Farming & Food Safety
    • Fracking
    • GMOs
    • Global Trade
    • Pollution Trading
  • Solutions
    • Advocate Fair Policies
    • Legal Action
    • Organizing for Change
    • Research & Policy Analysis
  • Our Impact
    • Facts
    • Stories
    • Victories
  • Take Action
    • Get Active Where You Live
    • Organizing Tools
    • Find an Event
    • Volunteer with Us
    • Live Healthy
    • Donate
  • Give
    • Give Now
    • Give Monthly
    • Give a Gift Membership
    • Membership Options
    • Fundraise
    • Workplace Giving
    • Planned Giving
    • Other Ways to Give
  • About
  • News
  • Research Library
  • Contact
  • Careers
  • Donate
Learn more about Food & Water Action www.foodandwateraction.org.
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • 2021 © Food & Water Watch
  • www.foodandwaterwatch.org
  • Terms of Service
  • Data Usage Policy