Thousands of water bottles delivered to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria are still sitting on farmland outside the island’s capital two years after the disaster.
Images from Agence France-Presse, an international news agency headquartered in Paris, show a sea of packaged water bottles, some in massive bundles, and pallets on a private estate in Dorado, approximately 25 miles outside of San Juan. The water has now expired and is considered unsafe to drink.
It’s true: thousands of water bottles sitting in an empty field in Dorado, Puerto Rico.
After I posted about it earlier today someone drove out there & took this video.
Location: road 693, toward the beach after you pass Krispy Kreme
FEMA is getting back to me with details pic.twitter.com/U4BAedk7E4
— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) July 29, 2019
The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency confirmed the water bottles were sent in response to Hurricane Maria, a deadly Category 5 hurricane that struck the island in September 2017, and said they will soon be removed.
“FEMA followed federal acquisition processes in order to dispose of the expiring water that included offers to federal and territorial governments and public auction,” FEMA told CBS in a Monday statement. “As a final step in the process, FEMA contracted to have the expired water removed and disposed. This process is underway, in accordance with contract terms, and is on target for September 2019 completion.”
Here it is:
8hrs ago, I asked FEMA for info on thousands of water bottles – meant hurricane Maria survivors – sitting in a Dorado, Puerto Rico fieldThey sent a 1 paragraph response
Basically, the water expired & it’s being disposing of. That took 8 hrs.
I sent follow up ?s pic.twitter.com/UKhxelDJli— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) July 30, 2019
The federal agency has allocated nearly $41 billion to Puerto Rico and, as of December 2018, has dispersed $11.2 billion. In early June, President Trump signed a $19 billion disaster relief bill to provide additional aid to the island. It is estimated that $50 billion in extra funds will be needed to cover future costs resulting from the disaster.
In September 2018, a similar stockpile of water bottles was found, this time wasting away on an airport runway in eastern Puerto Rico. After some of the bottles were distributed, residents claimed the water had a foul smell and taste. FEMA officials say “distribution issues” and poor communication were to blame.
This comes as two former Puerto Rican officials were indicted earlier this month on charges related to funneling $15.5 million in U.S. disaster aid to politically connected contractors. Puerto Rican President Ricardo Rosselló resigned in July after leaked messages revealed additional corruption and incendiary language.
