Guánica, PR

Built environment, Climate and environment | 2025

Investigating barriers to connecting to sewage systems in the Guánica Bay watershed, Puerto Rico.

Guánica Bay supports fisheries and recreational beaches, but the watershed faces critical challenges with untreated sewage, which affects public health, marine ecosystems, and the livelihoods of local communities that have historically experienced disproportionate environmental burdens, poverty, and inequality. Sewage system infrastructure has been installed in Guánica. However, the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) estimated that in areas with a sewer system, 40 percent of the population, at most, is connected to it. Through this project, Protectores de Cuencas Inc., a science- and community-based nonprofit, will work alongside the communities of Pueblo de Guánica and Ensenada, both adjacent to Guánica Bay, to conduct door-to-door surveys and determine the percentage of households and businesses connected to sewage infrastructure and identify barriers preventing the remainder from connecting.

Protectores de Cuencas will develop the survey in partnership with Dr. Isa Rodríguez at the University of Puerto Rico, Bayamon. The project team will solicit a review of their survey methodology at a public meeting in Guánica with community members, PRASA, and the Guánica Municipality. Protectores de Cuencas will analyze survey data, summarize results, and partner with PRASA to develop recommendations to address the barriers identified. Findings will be outlined in a final report and shared publicly.

PRASA, the Guánica Municipality, and Protectores de Cuencas can use these data to improve understanding of connections to sewage infrastructure and generate culturally relevant recommendations to reduce the barriers to connecting. Through this project, Protectores de Cuencas hopes to reduce the burden on communities to connect to sewage infrastructure, increase connections, and reduce health and environmental risks to the residents of Guánica.