(UPDATED) Millions of water bottles left sitting on runway in Puerto Rico since last year

UPDATE — Sept. 13, 8:50 a.m.:

In a Twitter update, CBS' David Begnaud reported that, according to FEMA, the water bottles found on the runway in Ceiba "was 'excess' water not needed during the response phase." A FEMA official told Begnaud that the bottles were moved from storage in January and onto the airport runway.

The original report is below.

What appears to be millions of bottles of water — delivered by FEMA for victims of Hurricane Maria — have sat unused on a runway in Puerto Rico since last year. At this point, the water is presumed to be unfit for drinking.

What's the story?

Abdiel Santana, a photographer who works for the Puerto Rico police, said that he first saw the water in October or November 2017. There are, apparently, at least hundreds of thousands, and perhaps millions, of water bottles sitting at an airport in Ceiba, Puerto Rico. Hurricane Maria had hit the island last September.

On Tuesday, Santana posted pictures of the water bottles on his Facebook page, noting that it was still on the tarmac a year later.

CBS News correspondent David Begnaud reported that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had confirmed to him that it had delivered those specific water bottles to Puerto Rico last year. Once delivered, the water bottles were reportedly turned over to the U.S. General Services Administration in Puerto Rico. It is still unclear what happened next and why the water bottles were never moved or distributed.

However, a representative from the GSA told TheBlaze that the “GSA was neither assigned nor responsible for the distribution of water bottles to hurricane victims. Additionally, GSA did not procure water for FEMA during the referenced event [Hurricane Maria].”

BREAKING: What may be millions of water bottles. meant for victims of Hurricane Maria, have been sitting on a runway in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, since last year, according to @FEMA, which confirmed the news to me, late tonight, after pictures, posted today on social media, went viral. pic.twitter.com/jidGJAvCyJ

— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) September 12, 2018

Exclusive live details about what may be millions of bottles of water left sitting on a runway in Puerto Rico https://t.co/dZKtXkEDcR

— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) September 12, 2018

.@FEMA has told @CBSNews that what could be millions of bottles of water that were sent to the island to help the survivors of Hurricane Maria, has been sitting on a runway in Ceiba, Puerto Rico since last year," @DavidBegnaud reports. pic.twitter.com/NFMJKb4ULf

— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) September 12, 2018

Begnaud noted that “the water was kept in an area that was pretty hard-hit during the storm, and could have used all the water they could have gotten.”

Chef José Andrés, who has been providing assistance to Puerto Rico, tweeted that teams working for him were aware of the water, but told that they could not use it.

My teams @WCKitchen @natemook @ErinSchrode knew about it but first they will say no we can not use them, months later water was no good for human consumption.We were “buying” water because they wouldn’t give it to us @ricardorossello we need an official independent investigation! https://t.co/FG2bainoVD

— José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) September 12, 2018

What else?

In a media briefing on Tuesday with FEMA administrator Brock Long, President Donald Trump called the work that FEMA and local law enforcement had done in Puerto Rico "an incredible, unsung success."

“It was one of the best jobs that's ever been done with respect to what this is all about,” he added.