Puerto Rico Implements Severe Water Rationing Amidst Escalating Drought Crisis

Hundreds of thousands of residents face utility shutoffs as government officials scramble to address the combined threat of extreme drought and failing water infrastructure.

SAN JUAN — Puerto Rico has officially entered a period of severe water rationing as the island grapples with a debilitating drought that has left hundreds of thousands of residents without reliable access to running water. Local officials have described the unfolding situation as "brutal," with many families waking up to dry taps as utility services implement aggressive service cuts to conserve remaining supplies. The crisis is the result of a "perfect storm" involving prolonged lack of rainfall and decades of neglected, aging water infrastructure. According to reports from the island, the…