The Los Cabos municipal government appointed Arturo Sandoval Montaño as interim director of OOMSAPAS (Organismo Operador Municipal del Sistema de Agua Potable, Alcantarillado y Saneamiento), the local water and sewer utility, on May 15. Sandoval takes over from Ramón Rubio Apodaca under a 60-day interim mandate focused on improving water service, particularly in Cabo San Lucas.
Leadership Swap, Not a Firing
Municipal officials described the change as a strategic realignment rather than a dismissal. Rubio Apodaca is moving to a newly created role as federal liaison, where he will coordinate water infrastructure funding and programs across municipal, state, and federal levels of government. The shift positions the utility to pursue outside funding while placing day-to-day operations under new management.
Sandoval specifically named Cabo San Lucas as a priority area. He pledged to improve potable water supply, water tanker scheduling (known locally as “tandeos”), and overall service reliability during his 60-day term.
Why Water Leadership Matters in Los Cabos
Water delivery is a daily concern for residents across the municipality. Many neighborhoods in Cabo San Lucas experience intermittent supply, with some homes going without municipal water for days or even weeks at a time. Residents rely on private water trucks, called “pipas,” to fill their rooftop storage tanks (cisternas) when the municipal supply falls short.
The infrastructure struggles to keep pace with the region’s rapid growth. OOMSAPAS operates its own desalination plant serving the northwestern portion of Cabo San Lucas and has explored contracts with private desalination operators to supplement supply. The underlying challenge is an overtaxed aquifer system and a distribution network that cannot serve all homes and businesses simultaneously.
A 60-Day Clock
The interim designation, known formally as “encargado de despacho,” gives Sandoval a tight window to produce results. The 60-day term frames the appointment as an urgent operational fix. Whether the role becomes permanent will likely depend on measurable improvements in water delivery schedules and service complaints.
Residents who track water delivery schedules can follow the “Agua Potable Los Cabos” Facebook page for neighborhood-by-neighborhood updates on when supply will be available.
This story was first reported by the Los Cabos municipal government at loscabos.gob.mx.