Technicians at the Comisión Estatal de Servicios Públicos de Tijuana (CESPT) are working around the clock to replace key components in the Booster El Carrizo pumping system, a critical station that moves water from El Carrizo reservoir to the city. The failure has left roughly 250 Tijuana colonias with intermittent or no water service since earlier this week, and CESPT said a gradual recovery of supply is not expected to begin until Tuesday, July 14.
CESPT General Director Mónica Vega Aguirre confirmed on Friday, July 10, that crews moved the damaged equipment to specialized workshops at the Colorado River to Tijuana Aqueduct (ARCT) facility. The relocation was necessary because the repairs require heavy, specialized tools not available on-site. Staff from the Comisión Estatal del Agua (CEA), part of the state water agency SEPROA, are assisting CESPT technicians.
Scope of the Water Outage
The number of affected neighborhoods grew from about 200 early in the week to 253 by late Tuesday, according to multiple local reports. Rosarito residents also lost service after a separate aqueduct break, caused when a private fiber-optic contractor accidentally damaged the Herrera-La Misión line near the Santa Mónica neighborhood. That break was repaired Wednesday evening, and Rosarito service was expected to return by Thursday.
The Booster El Carrizo failure, however, is a distinct mechanical or electrical problem within the pumping system itself. CESPT has not released specifics on what failed or why. The booster station pushes water from El Carrizo reservoir to the El Florido treatment plant, which then feeds distribution lines across eastern and central Tijuana.
Free Water Brigades and July 14 Target
While repairs continue, CESPT is dispatching free water-delivery brigades to affected colonias. Vega Aguirre asked residents to report any attempt to charge for this emergency supply. She acknowledged the hardship families are facing and said her office is monitoring the repair work continuously to ensure water flow resumes the moment mechanical work is finished.
The Colorado River to Tijuana Aqueduct is the city’s main water supply artery. A previous major break in January 2026 on the same aging pipeline left more than 1.5 million Tijuana residents without service for over three days. That repair, on a section more than 70 years old, took longer than the originally estimated two days after crews discovered additional leaks.
CESPT has not provided a firm completion date for the current Booster El Carrizo repair, but has set July 14 as the target for beginning a gradual recovery of water pressure. Residents can follow CESPT announcements for colonia-by-colonia updates.
This story is based on reporting by Semanario ZETA and San Diego Red.