Culture news and discussion on TalkFuse.
‘We count every litre’: how Cuba’s energy crisis sparked a daily struggle for water
Cuba's deepening energy crisis has left millions of people without reliable access to running water, as electricity shortages disable pumping stations and fuel shortages cripple the country's ageing water distribution network. Power cuts no longer just leave homes dark; they leave taps dry, forcing residents in Havana and beyond to spend hours each day fetching, hauling and rationing water, often at night when electricity briefly returns.
The crisis worsened this year after the suspension of oil exports from Venezuela, Cuba's main fuel supplier, following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro by US forces, compounding shortages already caused by the US embargo. Cuba's National Institute of Hydraulic Resources says nearly 3 million people are struggling to access water, with the water system running on just 37% of the fuel it needs and up to 70% of Havana's water lost to leaks before reaching homes. Wealthier residents pay for private water trucks, while others queue for deliveries, carry jerrycans themselves or pay informal carriers, organising their entire daily routines around the sporadic hours when power and water are available.
In short
- Cuba's power crisis is causing widespread water shortages nationwide.
- Nearly 3 million Cubans struggle to access reliable water.
- Loss of Venezuelan oil worsened fuel and water infrastructure failures.
Explained simply
Cuba is experiencing widespread shortages of running water in homes and businesses. The underlying cause is an energy crisis that has disabled the pumping stations and fuel systems needed to distribute water throughout the country.
Venezuela, Cuba's main fuel supplier, suspended oil exports after the capture of President Nicolás Maduro by US forces. The long-standing US embargo additionally restricts Cuba's access to fuel and spare parts needed for the country's ageing water distribution infrastructure.
Nearly three million Cubans now struggle to access water. Residents in Havana and beyond have reorganised their daily routines around the sporadic hours when electricity and water are available, collecting water when they can and paying for private supplies when necessary.
Art Asia Business Culture Geopolitics Politics World