Jalisco governor announces water-rationing plan for Guadalajara amid contamination crisis

Jalisco's Governor Pablo Lemus has introduced a water-rationing plan for Guadalajara due to water contamination issues. In a video posted on his official social media, Lemus called the city's drinking water crisis "unprecedented." The temporary measure, slated to last about six months, involves reducing water distribution by up to 2.5 cubic meters per second.

This decrease will come from halting water use from the Las Pintas dam and the old Chapala system. Lemus stated that while this will result in less water, it will be cleaner during the rehabilitation project. Service rotations, low-pressure episodes, and interruptions are expected in affected areas, though homes will not be without water for six consecutive months.

More details about the program's operation will be released by the Intermunicipal Potable Water and Sewerage System and local municipalities on October 12. The state's Chief of Staff, Alberto Esquer, said authorities are evaluating how much water can be distributed without relying on the Las Pintas source. Poor water quality affects 342 neighborhoods in the metropolitan area.

The plan aims to fast-track the La Calera diversion aqueduct and the first phase of Water Treatment Plant No. 1's expansion. Authorities also plan to establish a permanent working group to monitor water supply and quality. A long-term solution includes constructing a replacement Chapala-Guadalajara aqueduct, with completion estimated at two years.

President Claudia Sheinbaum has agreed to fund the necessary federal works to enable the El Zapotillo system to operate at full capacity. Governor Lemus emphasized that the measures will not increase public debt, SIAPA rates, or privatize water services.