The drinking water crisis in Los Cabos continues to be one of the municipality’s main challenges. According to the Water Administration, there is currently a deficit of 420 liters per second in the municipal water system.
To address this problem, the business associations grouped in the Los Cabos Coordinating Council presented a project to the National Water Commission (Conagua) that includes the construction of desalination plants for tourist developments.
💧Objective: to release water from the aquifer for public use
The proposal seeks to stop private tourist resorts from using drinking water from the aquifer, allowing that volume to be redirected to the public. In return, the developments would operate with water produced by their own desalination plants.
Manuel Guerrero Luna, general director of Conagua’s Baja California Peninsula Basin Authority, explained that the plan includes the installation of an initial module, with the possibility of expansion in the future. He emphasized that it will not require public investment, as the developers would assume the costs, while Conagua would facilitate the permits and technical processes.
“Developers are seeking certainty in building their desalination plants. The government will not invest, but we will facilitate the process so they can convert saltwater into drinking water. This will free up the aquifer volume for the public,” he noted.
Currently, Los Cabos only has one desalination plant in operation, with a capacity of 100 liters per second. A second plant is expected to come online in 2026, providing an additional 250 liters per second, helping to reduce the water shortage, especially in Cabo San Lucas, the most affected area.
Source: tribunademexico
