Veronica Perasso is a content creator and model who uses her social media platforms to address the water crisis in Puerto Rico, where she resides.
Perasso posted a recent Instagram video discussing water shortages that impact communities on the island and have already affected local businesses. The model also wondered why celebrities in Puerto Rico have not spoken out more on this topic.
“As some of you know, I live in Puerto Rico now, a U.S. territory, and we’ve been suffering from a water shortage,” Perasso stated.
The model first encountered the water problem while traveling to Loíza, which she visits very often.
“I started seeing the issue in the area called Loíza, where my favorite coffee shops are, and they’ve been having to operate with water cisterns,” Perasso mentioned. She explained that some businesses probably had to close on some days due to this problem, and she also outlined what she believes is its cause.
“Apparently, there’s a big pipe that was built 30 years ago and has not been maintained, and now it’s breaking constantly,” Perasso explained.
It comes against the backdrop of a severe water-supply emergency in Puerto Rico. Rupture of the 72-inch Superaqueduct line in Bayamón, with breaks in several locations, left more than 120,000 customers without water and exposed existing fears about the island’s water system, according to Newsweek.
The creator believes that any temporary solutions are useless in this case.
“I think the solution is obvious. It needs to be fully repaired, fully renovated, maybe build a new one,” she said, adding that she hopes the government would pay attention to this problem and solve it.
Officials from the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) have already said that decades of deferred maintenance caused such vulnerability in the system. PRASA officials stated that the company will continue to push for further maintenance and inspections as part of service restoration efforts.
Although Perasso noted that advocacy is not necessarily an entertainer’s job, she still wondered why some of Puerto Rico’s biggest celebrities do not continue to put pressure on officials.
“And yes, I understand also it’s not their job, but they do have the influence to get it done with the people,” Perasso stated.
Moreover, she also mentioned that if all residents join forces, this can be done. “I think if everyone unites and push for this it could be done. That’s my opinion, but I want to know why big artists do not keep talking about it. Mention it once is not enough. It has to be constantly asked for until it’s done.”
