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A Somber Start, Permit Questions, and Reservoir Levels · 787daily — Puerto Rico Every Morning

• 0:00
  Good morning, this is 787daily, your Puerto Rico briefing for Saturday, October 17.
• 0:04
  Let's begin with a heavy one.
• 0:06
  A contractor died on Friday morning at the Caguas Norte filtration plant, run by the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority, known as AAA.
• 0:13
  The contractor was working on improvements at the plant.
• 0:16
  Police are investigating the circumstances, and we'll follow what they find.
• 0:19
  Our thoughts are with the family and co-workers.
• 0:22
  Safety on the job is also at the center of our next story.
• 0:26
  The Puerto Rico OSHA office inspected the San Fernando Pumping Station and found obstructed evacuation routes and inadequate emergency action plans.
• 0:32
  The result: the DRNA, the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, faces 84,000, $748 in fines.
• 0:38
  Now, a difficult story about care.
• 0:40
  The Puerto Rico Health Department has removed six residents from a group home in Isabela after an abuse complaint.
• 0:45
  The email behind the complaint described a pattern of physical, verbal and economic abuse, including forced sex acts and exploitation.
• 0:51
  The residents are now out of that home.
• 0:54
  Questions about who provides care and services are also behind our next story.
• 0:58
  The College of Professional Social Workers of Puerto Rico, which represents more than 7,000 licensed professionals, is opposing the hiring of outside organizations to deliver social services.
• 1:06
  Now to the Capitol, where the paperwork is getting a lot of attention.
• 1:10
  The governor says she has not received the final amendments to the permit project.
• 1:14
  That's the Senate-approved bill meant to create a new legal framework for planning and permits.
• 1:19
  So the bill has passed the Senate, but the governor says the final version hasn't reached her desk.
• 1:24
  We'll keep watching how that plays out.
• 1:26
  And back to AAA for one more item, this one about the water supply.
• 1:30
  The authority reports that water levels dropped in 11 reservoirs over the last 24 hours.
• 1:35
  It's a small number to track, but a good one to keep an eye on.
• 1:39
  We'll keep you posted on the levels.
• 1:41
  That's your Saturday rundown.
• 1:43
  You can read every story in full at 787daily.com.
• 1:47
  Thanks for starting your morning with 787daily.
• 1:50
  Take care of each other out there.
• 1:52
  And before you go, your Puerto Rico fun fact for today: The coquí, a tiny tree frog named for the sound it makes, is Puerto Rico's beloved unofficial mascot.