During the summer, Tijuana residents will receive support from the San Diego County Water Authority, which will provide 200 liters of water per second to the Mexican state of Baja California. This vital resource will be transported via an international pipeline that connects San Diego, California, to Tijuana.
According to the Border Report, Carlos Alberto Machado Parra, the director of Baja’s Public Service and Planning Commission (CESPT) in Tijuana, stated that there is an increased demand for water when the temperature rises. He added that they maintain a binational connection to ensure that they can provide water to neighborhoods that may face a shortage of supply.
According to him, the Carrizo Dam, located south of Tecate, will serve as the storage facility for the water.
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Machado Parra emphasized the importance of having a minimum of 16 million cubic meters of water stored in the Carrizo Dam to ensure a steady supply to customers, especially those living on the east side of the city. “It is crucial to maintain this level to meet the demands of our customers,” he stated.
According to the outlet, Machado Parra mentioned that CESPT could purchase the water supply for a sum of about $5 million.
According to the outlet, the source of the water is the Colorado River, which is under the management of the San Diego County Water Authority. The water is then transferred to Tijuana. Machado Parra has stated that these deliveries may continue beyond the summer season, especially if there are any additional issues with Tijuana’s water infrastructure.
According to a report by Border Report, in the year 2023, over 600 neighborhoods in Tijuana and Rosarito faced water shortages and CESPT had to spend approximately $1.7 million on providing water deliveries. The situation had been persisting since the previous year, causing irregular water supply.
According to the outlet, Tijuana’s primary aqueduct, responsible for supplying water from the Colorado River, has been deteriorating, which has further compounded the existing problem. Although the repairs are being carried out, they are progressing slower than anticipated, with over 20 km of the line requiring attention. This has caused water to be shut off for more than 40 percent of Tijuana’s population, with the likelihood of more water outages in the future.
According to the outlet, 66 percent of Tijuana’s population was left without running water during the final days of construction, which was completed in January of this year. The aqueduct has since been repaired.
According to Border Report, the disruptions have had a severe impact on the residents of the affected area. A resident shared that the neighborhood has had to store water in large containers whenever it is available, but the supply runs out quickly. He recounted an incident where the supply lasted for almost a month, and everywhere they looked for water, it had already been depleted.
According to a report by Border Report, the San Diego County Water Authority has a rich history of fulfilling emergency water deliveries to Mexico under a cross-border agreement. Mel Katz, the Board Chair of the Water Authority, expressed his pride in the speedy response of the Water Authority staff in addressing the urgent water requirements of their southern neighbors.
More than 50 years ago, a bilateral agreement was established between the two nations, which enabled the emergency supply to be provided.
