The Rosarito desalination plant 2026 project begins construction this month. It is the largest desalination facility in Latin America. The $840 million facility will produce 2,200 liters per second of drinking water. It will boost Tijuana’s supply by 45 percent. Mexico’s federal water commission Conagua oversees the build. Completion is targeted for 2029, according to Smart Water Magazine and Baja Times.
That 45 percent figure matters beyond engineering. Tijuana and Rosarito have faced chronic water shortages for years. Baja California gets 95 percent of its water from the Colorado River. Yet allocations keep shrinking. For roughly 30,000 American expats in the Rosarito-Tijuana corridor, unreliable water has been a daily frustration and a major factor in property decisions.
Why the Rosarito Desalination Plant Almost Did Not Happen
The Rosarito desalination plant has a complicated history. It was first proposed years ago. Then it was cancelled in 2020 under Governor Jaime Bonilla. A private company, Consolidated Water, filed an arbitration case. But Governor Marina del Pilar dismissed that case in 2024 and revived the project as a public venture. President Claudia Sheinbaum backed the plan with federal funding in November 2024.
The stop-and-start timeline explains skepticism among Rosarito residents. Previous administrations promised similar improvements. Yet they never materialized. But with Conagua overseeing construction and federal dollars committed, this version carries stronger institutional support than any previous attempt.
What It Means for Expats and Property Owners
Water reliability is the biggest infrastructure concern for English-speaking residents in the corridor. Neighborhoods in eastern Rosarito regularly experience multi-day water shutoffs. Homeowners spend $50–$150 USD per month on tinaco refills and water delivery trucks.
If the plant delivers by 2029, reliable municipal water would reduce household costs and stabilize property values in water-scarce neighborhoods. But risks remain. Nearly half of Tijuana’s water is lost in the distribution system before reaching consumers. A new supply does not fix leaking pipes. And desalination plants demand enormous energy — a vulnerability during hurricane season power outages.
For more on the water situation, see our Baja California Water Crisis Explained guide.