OOMSAPAS La Paz, the municipal water and sewer utility, is offering residents of El Sargento a penalty-free window to legalize unregistered water connections. The program, called “Toma Chocolate,” launched with an on-site outreach day that helped 36 families register their hookups on the spot.
How the Program Works
OOMSAPAS (the Organismo Operador Municipal del Sistema de Agua Potable, Alcantarillado y Saneamiento) sent technical, commercial, and legal staff directly to the El Sargento community. Residents with illegal or informal water connections were able to complete the full regularization process without paying fines or penalties.
The campaign is running through Saturday, April 18 at the OOMSAPAS office located next to the El Sargento delegación. Residents from other parts of the La Paz municipality who face similar situations can visit the main OOMSAPAS offices in the city for assistance.
Why Unregistered Connections Are Common
Informal water hookups are widespread in rural and semi-rural communities across the La Paz municipality. El Sargento, located about 70 kilometers southeast of La Paz along the East Cape road, has grown rapidly in recent years. The small coastal community, popular with kitesurfers and a growing number of foreign residents, has seen development outpace infrastructure planning.
Many homes in areas like El Sargento were connected to water lines informally, sometimes by previous owners or builders who never completed the paperwork. In some cases, residents may not even know their connection is unregistered. This creates problems for both the homeowner, who has no legal standing to demand service or repairs, and for the utility, which cannot accurately track water distribution or bill for usage.
A Broader Push on Water Management
The amnesty program comes as La Paz faces ongoing pressure on its water supply. The municipality depends heavily on underground aquifers, and officials have been working to improve tracking of how water is distributed across the system. Unregistered connections represent lost revenue and make it harder for OOMSAPAS to manage supply during dry periods.
For property owners in El Sargento, La Ventana, and surrounding areas, the program offers a rare chance to formalize a water connection without the usual bureaucratic process or financial penalties. Those who miss the April 18 deadline in El Sargento may still be able to regularize at the main OOMSAPAS offices in La Paz, though the penalty-free terms have not been confirmed beyond this campaign.
First reported by BCS Noticias.