Puerto Rico is implementing water rationing measures in San Juan amid an intense drought, raising questions for American tourists visiting the .
More than 180,000 water customers will face 48-hour water outages on an alternating schedule starting Friday, according to The Associated Press.
Historical weather data shows July was the driest month for San Juan in more than 120 years and the on record.
The U.S. Drought Monitor reports that nearly 25% of Puerto Rico is experiencing a severe drought and another 36% is under a moderate drought, according to the AP.
The situation is raising concerns among some tourists regarding upcoming trips to the island.
On a Reddit forum dedicated to travel to Puerto Rico, one tourist said that, though the tourist’s hotel was equipped with an emergency water supply, the tourist was still worried about the shortage.
“Can someone please be realistic about what itd be like to visit during this?” the Reddit user asked. “Will it affect ? Should we cancel even though we likely wont get anything refunded?”
DISNEYLAND GUESTS LEFT SCRAMBLING AFTER WATER OUTAGE SHUTS BATHROOMS AND RESTAURANTS
In response, other users offered mixed assessments of how the rationing could affect visitors.
“Hotels have cisterns and generators,” one person wrote. “However, you should prepare to be flexible in your outlook, as it is a crisis.”
” the ones less affected by all of this,” a different Reddit user advised. “Businesses and restaurants will [definitely] have to adjust, like they’ve had to in the past. Droughts don’t happen every year but they are common.”
“Good luck is all I have to say,” another person said. “Have family [that] were told about upcoming water shutoffs.”
VACATION HOT SPOT FACES NEW CDC TRAVEL WARNING AS OUTBREAK CASES CONTINUE CLIMBING
Others were less concerned about how the drought could affect travelers.
Biggest “issues youll encounter [are] , or car washes available,” a Reddit user said.
“Pools are unaffected, restaurants might use paper plates,” another said.
The person behind the original Reddit post later updated the thread to say the travelers canceled their trip.
“We didnt feel good about going and canceled,” the Reddit user said. “We got refunds on some things, not others, and hope to be back another time.”
Water-related advisories have also affected travelers in other .
Earlier this year, officials in Hawaii issued across the state’s islands in the aftermath of a storm.
At the time, there were concerns about heavy rain runoff carrying pesticides, sewage and animal waste into the ocean, which raised concerns about E. coli and salmonella.
“If the water is brown, turn around,” the Hawaii Department of Health Clean Water Branch said.
The Associated Press contributed reporting.
