Pablo Hernández

Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández announced Wednesday that 11 priorities submitted by his office were included in the Water Resources Development Act of 2026 (H.R. 9497), which was approved by the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. "/> Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Supplied Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández announced Wednesday that 11 priorities submitted by his office were included in the Water Resources Development Act of 2026 (H.R. 9497), which was approved by the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The legislation authorizes projects and studies by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers related to water infrastructure, flood control, coastal protection and environmental restoration. Following committee approval, the bill now advances to the full House of Representatives for consideration. Among the measures included in the bill is an increase in the federal authorization for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects in Puerto Rico from $35 million to $75 million. The legislation also authorizes $10 million for water and sewer improvements in Corozal, including upgrades to community water systems that serve families with limited access to potable water. “We are using every tool available in Congress to address the water challenges affecting our communities,” Hernández said in a statement. “This increase would allow for greater investment in water and wastewater infrastructure and move forward important projects for Puerto Rico. However, we are still awaiting a response from the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority to our requests for information on critical infrastructure requiring immediate attention. Solving this crisis will require federal resources, as well as coordination and action by the public corporation.” The bill also includes several studies aimed at addressing flooding, coastal erosion and storm resilience across Puerto Rico. In Humacao, the measure calls for improvements to the Antón Ruiz River and its levees to reduce flooding and protect Río Verde Mar, Punta Santiago and nearby communities. In Vega Baja, it authorizes a study of Laguna Puerto Nuevo, also known as Laguna Quintín Valle, to evaluate dredging and other flood mitigation measures. Additional studies are authorized for Loíza, Ceiba, Yabucoa, Naguabo and Fajardo to examine strategies for reducing coastal erosion, protecting communities from storm surge and strengthening resilience against future storms. The legislation also directs new impact studies for the Río Puerto Nuevo project to address concerns raised by neighboring communities. In addition, the bill explicitly includes Puerto Rico in the federal Shoreline and Riverine Protection Program, making the island eligible for future studies and projects designed to reduce damage from flooding, hurricanes and coastal storms. Committee approval marks an important step in the legislative process, but the measure does not provide immediate funding. The bill must still be approved by both the full House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate before it can be signed into law. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Tags Puerto Rico Water Infrastructure Water Resources Development Act Pablo José Hernández U.s. Army Corps Of Engineers Aaa Water Shortage Newsroom W Journal newsroom Author email Follow newsroom Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today