Tijuana’s state water utility is warning that summer heat drives water consumption up by as much as 30% across Tijuana and Playas de Rosarito, pushing the system close to its limits. CESPT (Comisión Estatal de Servicios Públicos de Tijuana) Director Mónica Vega Aguirre said the agency has activated its Booster pumping system to reinforce supply to treatment plants during peak months.
The call for conservation comes as the border region’s aging infrastructure faces ongoing strain. CESPT, which serves roughly 700,000 connected users in the Tijuana metro area, is conducting leak repairs and system upgrades aligned with Mexico’s National Water Program. Vega Aguirre urged residents to fix household leaks promptly, avoid washing sidewalks or cars with running hoses, and water gardens after dark to reduce evaporation losses.
A System Under Chronic Pressure
The seasonal spike compounds deeper structural problems. Tijuana receives much of its water from the Colorado River via the Río Colorado-Tijuana Aqueduct, making it one of the last cities downstream on an increasingly strained river. A 2023 AP News investigation found that more than half the city’s neighborhoods lost water during a single repair event in April of that year, when CESPT shut off service to fix leaks in a primary main.
A recent Times of San Diego report noted that more than three-quarters of Tijuana’s sewer network requires urgent rehabilitation. The utility collects about 96% of its revenue from service fees, but those fees remain low and fall short of covering system maintenance costs. CESPT is operated by the state of Baja California, not the city of Tijuana, which can slow local decision-making on repairs and upgrades.
What Residents Can Do Now
CESPT’s conservation recommendations are straightforward: check faucets and toilets for leaks, use buckets instead of hoses for outdoor cleaning, and shift irrigation to nighttime hours. Residents with pools or large gardens should expect that low-pressure periods will become more frequent through the summer months.
The agency framed water security as a national strategic priority. Vega Aguirre did not announce specific mandatory restrictions, but the public appeal signals that voluntary cuts may not be enough if consumption continues to rise. Tighter oversight or formal rationing could follow if demand outpaces supply during the hottest weeks of the year.
Originally reported by Jornada BC.