Tijuana’s state water and sewer utility completed more than 21,000 field service operations in the first four months of 2026, averaging over 5,000 repairs per month across Tijuana and Playas de Rosarito.
CESPT (Comisión Estatal de Servicios Públicos de Tijuana) said the work included emergency leak repairs, sewage spill response, preventive maintenance, meter relocations, and trench refilling. Crews operated across all seven of the utility’s service districts.
Aging Pipes and Vandalism Drive Workload
Officials said much of the workload stems from aging pipelines, vandalism, and third-party damage to water and sewer lines. Tijuana’s rapid growth over the past three decades has left large sections of the city relying on infrastructure that predates its current population of roughly 2 million.
The cross-border sewage crisis involving the Tijuana River has drawn international attention in recent years, with the U.S. EPA and Mexico’s federal government both investing in major pump station and treatment plant repairs. On the Mexican side, construction recently began on the PB-1 pump station, which Baja California’s secretary of water has called “the heart of our wastewater system.” That project had been promised since 2021 but saw little progress until this year.
CESPT Director Credits Increased Supervision
CESPT Director Mónica Vega Aguirre credited increased field supervision since her appointment for the pace of work. She said the effort follows a directive from Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda to strengthen continuity of water and sewer services statewide.
The 21,000 figure covers reactive and preventive operations but does not include major capital projects. Day-to-day leak and sewage spill response accounts for the largest share of the utility’s field activity.
How to Report Water or Sewer Problems
Residents who experience water outages, low pressure, or sewage overflows can contact CESPT by dialing 073 or sending a WhatsApp message to 664-370-1531. Both lines accept reports in Spanish.
The utility’s service area covers all of Tijuana and the municipality of Playas de Rosarito, stretching from the U.S. border south to the outskirts of Ensenada.
Originally reported by Jornada BC.