In Reparto Bahía, a district in the municipality of Habana del Este, a family has been battling a serious issue for five months: their home is constantly flooded with sewage and waste due to a construction project carried out by USM Military Constructions for the state-run CUPET company. The project blocked three of the four sewer access points on 4th Street, between 23rd and 24th.
Dalma Rosell Marrero, who lives at number 3 on the affected street, reported to CiberCuba via an audio message that the problem began in late May after a heavy downpour caused the initial flooding. "The house filled with sewage and waste. It stayed flooded for two days," she recounted.
A high-pressure truck sent by the municipal deputy mayor confirmed the cause on-site. It appears the construction workers at the site on 24th Street and 4th corner blocked the sewers with dirt and gravel. "Instead of following its course, the water bounces back and finds a way out," explained Rosell Marrero.
This construction is intended not for public housing but for eight buildings designated for CUPET executives, featuring a "priority circuit" with guaranteed electricity supply. "The executives will sleep without mosquitoes and with power," she remarked bitterly, while her family cooks with charcoal and wears rubber boots every time water invades the ground floor.
The family's living conditions are dire. They sleep on the floor of the upper level since the ground floor floods every four or five days—or more frequently if it rains. Water seeps through toilets, sinks, sewer access points, tile joints, and the porch. They lost a refrigerator, a television, and all of their seven-year-old son's toys, who suffers from immune deficiency, ADHD, and autism. "Today, my son has no toys because they were all ruined, covered in waste," lamented the mother. Additionally, Rosell Marrero contracted hepatitis, uncertain if due to contact with the contaminated waters or her son's hospitalization in Centro Habana's pediatric hospital in September.
Despite approaching every available administrative body, the family has found no resolution. In June, they went to the provincial government, which sent narrow-hosed trucks, insufficient to resolve the issue. On July 7, they met with the municipal governor of Habana del Este and other officials. Rosell Marrero complained that Resolution 167 requires authorities to respond within 30 days, yet at the time of reporting, "one or two days short of 100 days" had passed without any solution.
The complaint reached the president of the provincial government of Havana and María Cedeño from the Council of State. Other neighbors on the block face similar flooding issues, and the double-lane Avenue 15 is also affected by the blockage caused by the construction.
The deterioration of Havana's sewage system is a systemic issue that has worsened by 2026, with reports of sewage flooding homes in multiple municipalities. Just this Friday, the death of a three-year-old child was reported after falling into a sewage pit in Alamar, also in Habana del Este, highlighting the severe sanitary crisis in the area.
CUPET was sanctioned by the United States in June under Executive Order 14404, accusing the regime of using energy resources to support the ruling elite.
The situation in Reparto Bahía starkly illustrates this logic: while buildings with guaranteed power are constructed for the state oil company's executives, a family with a sick child sleeps on the floor, surrounded by waste on the ground floor. "The vulnerable get containers while they get the best. They're destroying the block," summarized Rosell Marrero.
Sewage Crisis Impact in Habana del Este
What caused the flooding in Reparto Bahía?
The flooding in Reparto Bahía was caused by a construction project for CUPET that blocked three out of four sewer access points with dirt and gravel, preventing proper drainage.
How has the flooding affected the Rosell Marrero family?
The Rosell Marrero family has suffered significant losses, including a refrigerator, a television, and their son's toys. They also face health risks, as evidenced by the mother's hepatitis diagnosis.
What actions have been taken to resolve the issue?
The family has approached various administrative bodies, but no effective solution has been provided. Narrow-hosed trucks failed to address the issue, and their complaints have reached high-level officials without resolution.