HAVANA — Cuban officials reported in early 2025 that 2.7 million people—28% of the country’s 9.7 million inhabitants—face difficulties accessing running water due to an ongoing energy crisis worsened by U.S. sanctions and an oil blockade. The water shortages stem from prolonged power outages and the inability to maintain critical water infrastructure, according to government statements issued in Havana.

Antonio Rodríguez, president of Cuba's National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INRH), attributed the crisis directly to the U.S. energy blockade and recent executive orders from Washington. “Hay lugares donde el agua se rebombea con bajas presiones y si no hay corriente se quedan muchas personas sin recibir el servicio,” Rodríguez said, describing how water must be pumped at low pressure in some areas and fails to reach households during extended blackouts.

Rodríguez stated that energy generation deficits have accelerated the breakdown of water equipment and pipelines across the island. He added that the hydraulic sector has been unable to secure financing and has lost key suppliers, hampering maintenance and upgrades to water systems.

Cuba has endured a severe energy crisis since mid-2024, which intensified in January 2025 after the U.S. oil blockade effectively halted crude imports. Since late 2024, the country has been almost entirely unable to receive oil shipments from abroad, leading to power outages that last 20 hours or more in many regions. These outages disrupt water pumping operations, particularly in areas reliant on electric pumps to deliver water to elevated or distant neighborhoods.

Cuba is working to convert 52% of its 3,300 water pumping stations to renewable energy sources, though progress remains slow due to supply chain constraints. The United Nations has previously described the U.S. oil blockade of Cuba as contrary to international law, though no enforcement action has followed. Power outages and fuel shortages have also limited the operation of desalination plants and water treatment facilities, further reducing access to clean water in multiple provinces.