Israeli technology that captures humidity to supply potable water out of the air will be sent to Puerto Rico to help the island with the water scarcity it has been dealing with as a result of the devastation caused by hurricane Maria.

On Wednesday afternoon, David Efron, Israel's honorary consul in Puerto Rico, said he was making the relevant arrangements for the machine to be delivered from Miami. The Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration (PRFAA) is also cooperating in the efforts, reports local daily El Nuevo Día.

The equipment could arrive in the island next week provided that PRFAA and the consul can find a cargo plane to transport it. Authorities have yet to determine the location where the machine will be installed, according to the daily.

According to Efron, the machine -which weighs between 1 to 2 tons- uses filters to purify the air and can produce up to 5,000 gallons of water a day.

The machine is being provided to supply water to Puerto Rico by the Israeli government, the honorary consul said.

In recent years, a number of Israeli firms have been at the forefront of potable water-producing technology, including the development of atmospheric water generating devices, such as the one described by Efron.

Hurricane Maria caused unprecedented devastation after it made landfall in Puerto Rico last week. In the wake of the disaster, a large portion of the island was left without power and almost half of its residents are still without access to safe drinking water, according to international news outlets.