Alondra Torres García, deputy and president of the Board of Directors of the local congress of Mexico’s Baja California Sur, proposes adjustments to the Water Law and the Finance Law of La Paz. The aim is to toughen sanctions against water waste and to update the criteria for discounts on water service payments for vulnerable sectors.
In her explanatory statement, Torres García pointed out that the Water Law in Baja California Sur has never been modified since its creation in 2001, despite the growing water crisis in the state.
“Fines and warnings are minimal, it is often easier to pay a fine of 100 pesos than to stop a clandestine tap or an irregular connection that benefits a few and harms many”, said the legislator. The proposal, which has already been referred to the Fiscal and Administrative Affairs and Water commissions, seeks to reform articles 139 and 140 of the Water Law to incorporate new infractions, such as:
- Manipulation of the operating body’s infrastructure that causes damage to the service.
- Damage to the operator’s infrastructure and equipment.
- Clandestine use of water intakes in crops or unregistered commercial activities.
“We have detected clandestine connections in communities such as San Pedro, where connections of up to four inches have been used to supply crops without a meter, leaving many families without water. In other cases, the stolen water is sold irregularly through pipes”, explained Torres García.
Increase in fines
Currently, penalties range from 5 to 500 times the daily value of the Unidad de Medida y Actualización (UMA), depending on the seriousness of the offence and the type of user.
The reform proposes a new differentiated scheme:
- 100 UMA for domestic use, equivalent to 11,314 pesos.
- 900 UMA for commercial use, equivalent to 101,826 pesos.
- 1,400 UMA for industrial use, equivalent to 158,396 pesos.
“The objective is that whoever makes irregular use of water has a real repercussion. The fine should not be a minor expense compared to the benefit obtained illegally”, said the deputy.
Those who damage the infrastructure of the system, in addition to paying the fine, will have to cover the cost of repairs.
The value of the Unidad de Medida y Actualizacion (UMA) for 2025 is 113 pesos and 14 Mexican cents per day, 3,439 pesos and 46 cents per month and 41,273,000 pesos and 52 cents per year. These values came into force on 1 February 2025.
New conditions for discounts for vulnerable sectors
The initiative also amends the La Paz Finance Law to regulate discounts on water service payments for pensioners, retirees, senior citizens and people with disabilities. Currently, these sectors receive a 50% discount, but the proposal introduces two new conditions:
They must not be in arrears for more than three consecutive months.
Their monthly consumption must be within the established minimum quota.
“We want the benefits to be equitable and for the support to go to those who really need it, without encouraging non-compliance in the payment of the service”, said the deputy.
State impact and entry into force
While the reform to the Water Law will apply to the entire state, the modifications to the Finance Law will exclusively affect La Paz. However, Torres García expressed her intention for other municipalities to adopt similar measures.
‘This is a need that was presented to us by the municipality of La Paz, but the water problem is for the whole state. We hope that more municipalities will join in this effort”, she said.
If the reform is approved, it would enter into force the day after its publication in the Official Gazette of the Government of the State of Baja California Sur. In addition, provisions that conflict with the new decree will be repealed.
Torres García emphasised that the proposal responds to the need to adapt the regulations to the state’s water reality and guarantee a more efficient use of the resource. “Water is a factor that triggers economic and human development and has an impact on people’s quality of life”, she concluded.
