Mexicali’s state water utility CESPM is sending mobile service stations and purified water trucks into three neighborhoods this week, giving residents free drinking water refills and a chance to resolve overdue bills without visiting a commercial office.
The Comisión Estatal de Servicios Públicos de Mexicali (CESPM) began its outreach earlier this week in Villa del Palmar and Fundadores. The final stop is Thursday, July 9, from 9 to 11 a.m. at Portales 5 public park, located between the Hacienda del Viento and Hacienda de Hamburgo neighborhoods.
Bring Your Own Jug for Free Purified Water
Residents can bring their own garrafones (water jugs) to fill at no cost from the utility’s purified water truck. In a city where summer temperatures regularly top 45°C (113°F), free drinking water is a real benefit. Most Mexicali households already rely on purchased purified water for drinking, since tap water across Mexico is generally not considered potable.
CESPM staff will also be on hand to answer billing questions and help customers navigate account issues in person. That alone can save a trip to the utility’s commercial offices, which often involve long waits.
Debt Forgiveness Decree Could Clear Fines
The bigger draw may be a debt forgiveness decree that CESPM is promoting at these events. Under the decree, customers with overdue CESPM accounts can have up to 100 percent of their surcharges and fines waived. The program targets penalties that have accumulated on unpaid balances, not the principal water charges themselves.
For residents who have let bills pile up, especially during Mexicali’s brutal summers when water consumption and costs spike, the decree offers a path to clear those penalties without penalties. CESPM representatives at the mobile stations can review individual accounts and apply the forgiveness on the spot.
Where and When to Go
The Thursday event at Portales 5 park is the last scheduled stop this week. The park sits in the southeastern residential corridor of Mexicali, an area of relatively newer housing developments. Residents in nearby colonias should also be able to attend, though CESPM has not specified eligibility restrictions by neighborhood.
CESPM periodically runs these mobile outreach events in different parts of Mexicali, bringing services closer to residents who may not have easy access to the utility’s main offices. This round of visits was first reported by The Baja Post.