Guaynabo, Puerto Rico - The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) allocated over $7.2 million to the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) for repairs to wastewater treatment and water pumping facilities in Humacao and Las Piedras.
These projects ensure critical services for over 55,000 residents of Humacao, Las Piedras and Naguabo. The funds were awarded through FEMA’s Accelerated Award Strategy, known as FAASt, which allows critical infrastructure projects to be grouped together, resulting a streamlined review.
“As the year 2021 ends, we’re proud to announce that we have approved funding for projects that aim to improve the quality of life for our people. These plants will ensure that potable water is available to residents in accordance with the strictest parameters of safety and hygiene," said FEMA’s Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator in Puerto Rico, José G. Baquero.
Of the funds, over $6.6 million are earmarked for the Humacao Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant located in Río Abajo to repair and upgrade water treatment tanks and drying beds- areas that are critical to the sanitation process. Through a technical procedure, this facility built in 1990 ensures that bacteria and other organic matter is removed from domestic sanitary wastewater before it is released, as required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Water Act.
“The La Sabana project in Las Piedras is scheduled to begin construction in January 2022. While the project in Humacao was announced to go into auction and construction is expected to begin during the third trimester of 2022. I thank PRASA’s Infrastructure team for their commitment to finalize the projects that are part of our vision in terms of the improvements across the Island. Likewise, the teams at FEMA and COR3 for the support to manage these priority projects for PRASA," said PRASA’s President, Doriel Pagán Crespo.
Furthermore, nearly $588,000 will go towards La Sabana Wastewater Pump Station, a facility that serves close to 5,000 families in the Las Piedras municipality. It supplies water to residents of Barrio Collores and other nearby neighborhoods. Upgrades to this facility include installing a new water pump and all necessary infrastructure for potable water distribution to surrounding communities.
On his part, the executive director of the Central Office for the Recovery, Reconstruction and Resilience (COR3) for Puerto Rico, engineer Manuel A. Laboy Rivera said that PRASA’s proactive leadership has allowed for the advancement of the reconstruction projects that will improve the quality of the services offered to its subscribers. “This new obligation is an addition to the development of 160 projects that represent an investment of $1.8 billion. We will continue working alongside FEMA to advise the representatives of this public corporation on the technical processes needed to speed the execution of these permanent works," he added.
For more information on Puerto Rico's recovery from Hurricane María, please visit fema.gov/es/disaster/4339 and recuperacion.pr. Follow our social media pages at Facebook.com/FEMAPuertoRico, Facebook.com/COR3pr and Twitter @COR3pr
Source: Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency
