OOMSAPAS La Paz Addresses Drainage Crisis and Mysterious Water Leaks

Public Concerns and Official Response

Authorities from the Municipal Operator of Potable Water, Sewage, and Sanitation (OOMSAPAS La Paz) have responded to public concerns regarding significant delays in addressing drainage collapses and sewage spills. The agency has denied claims that there are unresolved service requests older than a week or 25 days in the capital of Baja California Sur, asserting that the average response time for clearing blockages ranges from 24 to 72 hours in ordinary cases.

"I do not have a report of more than three days, two days that we have not attended to. We go and respond promptly, based on the availability of the equipment we have. We have four teams, and with the teams, we are working at different points in the city."

The agency elaborated that while extraordinary rainfall significantly increases the volume of waste entering the drainage system—which is not designed as a stormwater network but is misused by the public to discharge rainwater—the operational work remains active through a traffic light system. Emergencies posing a latent risk to public health are prioritized for immediate attention.

Investigating the Source of Water Leaks

Regarding the persistent water pooling in the heart of La Paz, specifically on Independencia Street adjacent to the Malecón, municipal authorities clarified that there is no supply pipeline or potable water network belonging to the paramunicipal in that section. They explained that nearby properties are supplied through parallel routes such as 16 de Septiembre and 5 de Mayo streets, thus ruling out a direct failure in the public network.

"In the case of Independencia Street, we do not have a pipeline; there is no supply pipeline on that street... The truth is we do not know where that water is coming from... it is a small pond that is there where the taxi stand is located, but we do not have any pipeline."

In light of the flooding near the taxi stand, the municipal agency announced that it will begin technical inspections at food establishments, a banking corporation, and properties in the vicinity to determine whether it is an irregular discharge or a rise from the groundwater. The coastal area often experiences groundwater ascension, which forces older buildings to use sump pumps, although private responsibility for the water escape is not ruled out.

Historical Challenges and Future Measures

OOMSAPAS also acknowledged a historical backlog in the installation of potable water meters, currently reporting 77,000 users without measurement out of an active base of 112,000 clients. To curb illegal connections and unregulated taps, the La Paz City Council continues to implement regularization programs such as Toma Chocolate and Peso a Peso, which allow service contracts under conditional schemes without requiring public property deeds.

To ensure the correct operation of the water distribution system, the agency reminded that the mandatory use of distinctive vests for operational staff has been implemented. This measure aims to prevent sabotage or unauthorized manipulation of the more than 32,000 valves distributed throughout the city, urging citizens to report any unauthorized individuals attempting to tamper with the water infrastructure to the emergency number 911.