The Baja California Sur state government has finished a package of water and sewer infrastructure projects totaling more than 26.4 million pesos (roughly $1.3 million USD) across four municipalities. The work, carried out by the state water commission known as CEA (Comisión Estatal del Agua), spans La Paz, Mulegé, Comondú, and the coastal community of Punta Alta.
New Sewer Lines for La Paz Neighborhoods
The largest single investment went to two La Paz colonias. CEA installed 8.4 kilometers of new sewer lines in the Jericó and Valle Dorado neighborhoods at a cost of 10 million pesos (about $500,000 USD). The project serves an estimated 936 residents and aims to reduce contamination risk in these growing areas on the city’s outskirts.
Less than 25% of residential and commercial buildings in La Paz currently have water meters, according to local conservation groups. That lack of metering has long complicated efforts to manage the city’s strained water supply.
Desalination Plant at Punta Alta
At Punta Alta, the state spent 5.4 million pesos (about $270,000 USD) on a small desalination plant that includes a garrafón (large jug) filling station for local residents. The project is part of a broader push to reduce reliance on aquifers in coastal BCS communities, where saltwater intrusion and over-extraction have depleted underground reserves.
BCS remains one of Mexico’s driest states. Aquifer depletion has been a persistent concern, particularly in areas outside major population centers where piped water service is limited.
Well Replacements and Upgrades in Mulegé
In the municipality of Mulegé, CEA invested 8.2 million pesos (roughly $410,000 USD) on electromechanical upgrades to the Palo Verde to Santa Rosalía aqueduct and replaced two wells in San Ignacio. These improvements secure water supply for approximately 15,600 residents in one of the state’s most water-stressed regions. Santa Rosalía, a historic mining town on the Sea of Cortez, depends heavily on the aqueduct for its daily supply.
Comondú Gets New Connections
In Las Barrancas, a small community in the municipality of Comondú, the state rehabilitated sewer tanks and installed 93 new household water connections. That project cost 2.8 million pesos (about $140,000 USD) and brings basic sanitation service to families that previously lacked it.
The projects were reported by the BCS state government through its official website.