La Paz will install eight free water fountains at Centro Deportivo Municipal El Piojillo, the city’s main public sports complex, as part of its Programa Agua Bienestar (Water Wellness Program). Mayor Milena Quiroga Romero announced the expansion, which aims to improve hydration access for the more than 600 people who use the facility daily.
Eight Fountains Across El Piojillo’s Fields
The new fountains will be distributed across El Piojillo’s various fields and courts, serving athletes, families, and recreational visitors. El Piojillo, located in the southern part of La Paz near the Forjadores de Sudcalifornia boulevard, is the city’s largest municipal sports center. It hosts soccer, baseball, basketball, and track and field activities year-round.
Before this expansion, the city operated just three public water fountains: one at the Malecón waterfront promenade, one at El Piojillo, and one at the Cerro Atravesado area in the western part of the city. The eight new units will nearly quadruple the city’s total count from three to 11.
Quiroga Frames Program as Public Health Priority
Mayor Quiroga described the installations as part of a broader municipal strategy to guarantee water access and promote responsible water use. La Paz, the capital of Baja California Sur, regularly sees summer temperatures above 40°C (104°F), making hydration at outdoor sports facilities a genuine health concern. The Programa Agua Bienestar specifically targets high-traffic public spaces where residents exercise and gather.
La Paz’s tap water is drawn largely from underground aquifers that have faced depletion pressure for years. OOMSAPAS (the municipal water utility for La Paz) has worked to maintain supply, but the city’s growing population and tourist influx have strained the system. Free filtered water fountains at public sites reduce reliance on single-use plastic bottles, a persistent environmental issue in Baja California Sur.
The city has not yet announced a completion date for the El Piojillo installations or disclosed the project’s cost, according to BCS Noticias.