The gutter system here is unlike anything I have seen before. In the article “Puerto Rico could be ‘isolated for days’ after a storm” it states

“Our draining system was designed for 1940s development, and little has been done since to upgrade it,”

Instead of having holes in the curbs for water to drain, they have a metal grate that takes the entire width of the road. It looks like a similar concept to a “cattle guard” (if you have ever seen one) but more sturdy.

There are problems with this setup. As the roads and potholes are always getting patched, the road rises with the excess concrete. The gutter becomes a huge pothole. Unfortunately, this is also an issue with the manholes.

The system must not be able to handle much water because of small pipes or possible backups somewhere. When it rains, it doesn’t take much runoff to cause water to come gushing out of the manholes. The streets quickly turn into small streams and ponds. After a heavy rain, the streets really start to crack.