Tijuana’s water utility began a massive 72-hour service shutdown on Thursday, June 19, cutting supply to roughly 700,000 residents across the city’s eastern districts. CESPT, the city’s municipal water authority, said the shutdown is required to connect a new 2,000-liter-per-second aqueduct to the existing distribution network. Service is expected to return by Sunday, June 22.
CESPT Connecting New Aqueduct to Expand Eastern Tijuana Supply
The shutdown centers on infrastructure work at the El Florido pumping station, one of the most critical nodes in Tijuana’s water system. CESPT crews are installing connections between the station and the new aqueduct, which will eventually carry water from the Río Colorado supply line into neighborhoods that have long suffered chronic shortages.
Tijuana has struggled with water delivery for years, particularly in the rapidly growing eastern corridor. The city’s population has expanded far faster than its pipe network. Colonias built on hillsides in the 2000s and 2010s were often connected to the grid with undersized lines, or not connected at all. CESPT has acknowledged in past reports that tens of thousands of homes in eastern Tijuana receive water only a few days per week under normal conditions.
The new aqueduct project is part of a broader federal and state investment package announced in 2023. Mexico’s national water commission, CONAGUA, allocated funds for the pipeline as part of the Río Colorado infrastructure plan. The 2,000-liter-per-second capacity represents a significant boost. For comparison, CESPT’s total system capacity for all of Tijuana hovers around 6,000 to 7,000 liters per second during peak demand months.
This is not the first major shutdown this year. In March 2025, CESPT cut service to portions of the Otay and Cerro Colorado zones for 48 hours to repair a collapsed trunk line. Residents in those areas reported going without water for nearly four days after the repair ran long. In January, a smaller shutdown affected the Presa Este zone for pump maintenance.
Affected Zones Span From Terrazas del Valle to Valle de las Palmas
CESPT published a list of affected neighborhoods that stretches across much of eastern Tijuana. The zones include Terrazas del Valle, Valle de las Palmas, El Florido, Cañadas del Florido, Villa del Campo, Hacienda las Delicias, Natura, and surrounding colonias. Several of these neighborhoods are home to large housing developments built in the past 15 years, with populations that have grown quickly.
Valle de las Palmas, located roughly 30 kilometers east of central Tijuana, is one of the fastest-growing areas. It was planned as a satellite city in the mid-2000s with an initial target of 500,000 residents. Growth has been slower than projected, but the area now holds an estimated 80,000 to 100,000 people. Water delivery there has been a persistent complaint, with residents reporting service as infrequent as twice per week during dry months.
The 72-hour window means many households will need to rely on stored water in rooftop tanks, called tinacos, or purchase water from private delivery trucks known as pipas. CESPT advised residents to fill tinacos and any available containers before the cutoff. Pipa trucks typically charge between 500 and 1,200 pesos (roughly $25 to $60 USD) per delivery of 5,000 to 10,000 liters, depending on distance and demand. Prices tend to spike during announced shutdowns.
While the affected zones are primarily Mexican working-class neighborhoods, the shutdown also touches areas near the Otay Mesa border crossing corridor. Cross-border commuters living in the eastern districts may find morning routines disrupted. Restaurants and businesses in the area will also feel the impact, as food preparation and sanitation require reliable water access.
Recurring Shutdowns Reflect Tijuana’s Infrastructure Backlog
Tijuana’s water system serves approximately 1.9 million people through a network built largely in the 1980s and 1990s. CESPT has estimated that roughly 40% of treated water is lost to leaks before reaching homes, a figure the utility has cited in budget requests to both state and federal governments. The agency’s annual budget has not kept pace with the city’s growth. Between 2018 and 2023, Tijuana’s population grew by an estimated 200,000 people while CESPT’s capital investment budget remained largely flat in inflation-adjusted terms.
The aqueduct connection work, while disruptive in the short term, is designed to reduce the frequency of future shutdowns by adding redundancy to the eastern network. CESPT general director Armando Trujillo stated in a press conference Wednesday that the new line will allow the utility to serve 150,000 additional residents in the El Florido and Valle de las Palmas corridors without relying on the current single-feed system.
If the connection work stays on schedule, CESPT expects to restore full service by Sunday morning, June 22. The utility said it will post updates through its official social media channels and a dedicated phone line at 664-623-3500. This story was first reported by Punto Norte Tijuana.