The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved the first phase of the construction of a new reservoir in the Valenciano river and the expansion of the Valenciano Water Treatment Plant in Puerto Rico, which will cost approximately $18.5 million (HMGP).
The new stream reservoir, a property owned by the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) and situated in the municipality of Juncos, will have a 12.7 million cubic meter water storage capacity.
According to Pedro R. Pierluisi, the FEMA-approved project addresses the effects of climate change to create a resilient infrastructure for future weather disasters.
In his words, “We have worked hard to obtain the approval of funds for Phase 1 of this project. The Valenciano Reservoir project is a priority for my administration because it promotes quality of life and health for the nearly 140,000 residents living in Humacao, Caguas, Juncos, San Lorenzo, Las Piedras and Gurabo, in addition to improving water storage capacity, which will benefit the surrounding towns. I want to thank President Biden’s administration, as well as FEMA staff, for working closely with our government to achieve the approval of such an important project.”
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FEMA will consider additional funding for Phase 2 at a cost of over $399 million once the first phase is finished, which entails the hiring of engineering services, preliminary engineering design, environmental compliance and permitting procedures, planning for land acquisition, and final design and construction documents.
“Residents in the area will benefit from this mitigation work, especially during drought conditions, when the existing potable water supply systems cannot meet the water demand for the area. When the project is completed, it will offer enough water storage and pumping capacity to ensure a steady water supply for the area,” said Deputy Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator Andrés García.
Doriel Pagán Crespo, the executive director of PRASA, stated that the project has become a reality thanks to the efforts of her team and close collaboration.
She said, “The Valenciano Reservoir is another of our priority projects, which will provide redundancy and flexibility in the potable water systems of these six municipalities. We thank Governor Pedro Pierluisi, FEMA and COR3 personnel for promoting and supporting this work.”
According to the Executive Director of the Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency (COR3), Manuel A. Laboy Rivera, this approval is the result of a team effort between COR3, PRASA and FEMA.
Story was adapted from Homeland Security.
