La Paz Mayor Milena Quiroga Romero traveled to Mexico City on April 16 to meet with CONAGUA (National Water Commission) director Efraín Morales López, reviewing construction progress on the El Novillo dam. The project, described as the most important water infrastructure investment in La Paz in over 30 years, is designed to supply water to more than 250,000 residents.
The meeting at CONAGUA headquarters included officials from multiple agencies: OOMSAPAS La Paz director Abimael Ibarra, Baja California Sur State Water Commission director Tatiana Davis, and CONAGUA’s state representative Julio Villarreal. The group reviewed engineering details, operational plans, and construction timelines.
A 2.4 Billion Peso Investment
President Claudia Sheinbaum led the groundbreaking ceremony for El Novillo in December 2025. The federal government has committed approximately 2.4 billion pesos (about $133.6 million USD) to the project, with construction scheduled between 2025 and 2027.
The dam is not a standalone structure. The full project includes the reservoir, a water treatment plant, and a 15-kilometer aqueduct with elevated tanks to transport stored water into La Paz’s urban distribution system. Once operational, El Novillo is expected to deliver around 53 liters of water per second to the city.
Chronic Shortages Drive the Project
La Paz sits in one of Mexico’s most water-stressed regions. The city has relied on aging wells and limited infrastructure for decades, leading to rationing and inconsistent supply across many neighborhoods. The municipal government has framed El Novillo as the centerpiece of its “Plan Más Agua para La Paz,” a broader strategy combining new infrastructure with water conservation efforts.
That strategy already produced one milestone in September 2024, when the city opened the La Buena Mujer water purification plant. That facility, built with 175 million pesos in investment, injects up to 70 liters per second into the distribution network and serves about 13,000 residents across 12 neighborhoods.
Federal Coordination Continues
El Novillo is publicly financed and overseen by CONAGUA. The April 16 meeting was the latest in a series of coordination sessions between municipal and federal officials. A similar meeting took place in late February 2026, also at CONAGUA’s Mexico City offices. At that time, Quiroga noted the project was on track and mentioned an upcoming visit by President Sheinbaum.
The dam’s completion would mark a turning point for water access in Baja California Sur’s capital, potentially allowing the city to extend service to areas that currently lack reliable connections.
This story was first reported by Noticias La Paz.