AOC Says Corruption Is Fueling Puerto Rico’s Water Crisis

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez discusses inequalities in access to water in Puerto Rico as the island’s water crisis grows more severe each day. Specifically, she states that people do not receive water from their taps, while golf courses continue to receive it.

The water shortage in Puerto Rico has persisted since June 2026, and thousands of people in San Juan and surrounding areas lack water because aging pipes and infrastructure are malfunctioning; the National Guard provides drinking water to victims.

According to Ocasio-Cortez, years of underinvestment and bad maintenance practices of PRASA, the water agency of Puerto Rico, have led to the current problem.

“You have people who can’t get water out of their tap, and yet golf courses are being watered without interruption, and, you know, people are really suffering tremendously,” she said in an interview with Meidastouch reporter Pablo Manriquez.

Moreover, the water crisis reveals corruption in the island’s water system. “It’s horrific, the degree to which corruption is playing its own role,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

To address the situation, Ocasio-Cortez said she would introduce an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. According to the amendment, there should be assessments of water quality, and these would be among several measures aimed at improving conditions in Puerto Rico through the defense bill.

“Every year in every cycle we usually introduce some amendments for Puerto Rico,” she said, mentioning previous actions, such as detonation of unexploded ordnance in Vieques. “This year we’re doing assessments on water quality, which is, of course, inspired by the water crisis on the island right now.”

Ocasio-Cortez wants this legislation to deal with water quality “across the board.”