Tijuana’s Municipal Civil Protection directorate will inspect all ten public pools in the city starting March 30, part of a safety sweep before the Semana Santa holiday week. Inspectors will check that each facility employs certified adult lifeguards, maintains fire extinguishers and safety signage, and holds required emergency protocol documents known as PIPC plans.
Last Year’s Shutdown on Avenida Oscar Baylón Chacón
The inspections follow a pattern set during last year’s Easter operation. In April 2025, authorities under Mayor Ismael Burgueño Ruiz shut down Albercas Las Palmas, a recreational pool facility on Avenida Oscar Baylón Chacón in Ejido Francisco Villa, for lacking proper operating documentation and failing safety requirements. Another pool in eastern Tijuana was also closed for employing underage lifeguards.
Pools that pass inspection receive a visible “Safe Zone” sticker for their premises. Facilities that fail can face fines up to 1,000 UMAs (Unidad de Medida y Actualización), roughly 113,000 pesos ($6,300 USD) at current rates. Repeated or serious violations can result in full closure.
Dam Swimming Banned at Presa Abelardo L. Rodríguez
Civil Protection also warned residents against swimming in two local dams: Presa Abelardo L. Rodríguez, the large reservoir in the Aguaje de la Tuna canyon east of downtown, and Presa El Carrizo, about 30 miles southeast of the city center near Tecate. Both lack lifeguards, and officials cite underwater vegetation, mud, and submerged debris as drowning hazards.
The Tijuana Fire Department will patrol both reservoirs during the holiday week to prevent unauthorized entry. Semana Santa typically falls in the warmest stretch of early spring, and the dams have drawn swimmers in past years despite the risks.
Tijuana’s “Safer Vacation” enforcement operation runs through the full Easter break. Civil Protection director Jiménez González has asked the public to report any pool or water park that lacks a Safe Zone sticker or appears to operate without certified lifeguards, as reported by Punto Norte.