La Paz Mayor Milena Quiroga announced that two key elevated water storage tanks in the city have reached 99% capacity, marking a concrete milestone in the administration’s ongoing effort to fix chronic water pressure problems across the Baja California Sur capital.
The Diana Laura and Paraíso del Sol tanks, both part of the city’s “Más Agua para La Paz” (More Water for La Paz) strategy, are now operating near full capacity. Quiroga said the improved storage levels have translated into better water pressure for surrounding neighborhoods. Three newly built elevated tanks in the Diana Laura, Paraíso del Sol, and La Pasión neighborhoods are expected to benefit more than 19,000 residents once fully operational.
El Novillo Dam Called Biggest Water Project in 30 Years
The mayor also pointed to the El Novillo dam project as the most important water infrastructure built in Baja California Sur in more than three decades. Alongside the dam, the administration activated a purification plant at the La Buena Mujer dam, adding another source of treated water to the city’s supply network.
La Paz has long struggled with water reliability. The city sits in one of Mexico’s driest regions, and its aging infrastructure has left many colonias with intermittent service or low pressure, especially during summer months. For the thousands of foreign residents and retirees who call La Paz home, water delivery schedules and pressure drops are a daily reality.
Cracking Down on Illegal Water Theft
Quiroga specifically addressed the dismantling of water “huachicol” networks, a term borrowed from fuel theft slang to describe illegal water diversion rings. These operations had been siphoning supply from residential areas, worsening shortages in neighborhoods already on tight delivery schedules.
The crackdown aligns with a broader enforcement push. In March 2026, the La Paz Municipal Water and Sanitation System (OOMSAPAS) launched a regularization program for illegal connections under the slogan “Goodbye to water theft.” That initiative aims to bring unauthorized users into the official system and recover lost flow. For the remainder of 2026, OOMSAPAS expects the recovered water volume to allow extended service hours in the northern and southern zones of La Paz.
The city is also continuing well rehabilitation work across the municipality to shore up groundwater extraction capacity. Taken together, the tank upgrades, dam projects, purification plant, and theft enforcement represent the most aggressive water infrastructure push La Paz has seen in years.
This story was first reported by BCS Noticias.