Water

Screenshot of the Presidential broadcast
 Breaking News, Taxes, Water

Sheinbaum Keeps It Cool While Trump Flirts and Threatens

Sheinbaum responded diplomatically

Donald Trump sent flowers on X—digitally, of course. He called President Claudia Sheinbaum “a magnificent president” and “a very elegant woman.”

Lovely words… but he followed them with a not-so-subtle threat. Trump warned that Mexico could face tariffs and a water shutoff if it doesn’t deliver what’s owed to Texas under the 1944 treaty.

Sheinbaum? She kept it classy. In her own post, she laid it all out: Mexico has already submitted a proposal to the U.S. State Department. It includes short-term actions and technical solutions to make up for water delays—despite three years of drought.

She’s not looking for a fight. “I’m confident we’ll reach a reasonable agreement,” she said. “I don’t think this will turn into a conflict.” But, she added, “if it does, we’ll be ready.”

Among the fixes: a long-awaited desalination plant in Playas de Rosarito and stricter oversight in Mexicali, where farming water sometimes ends up rerouted and sold.

Now we wait to see if Trump’s admiration for Sheinbaum’s “elegance” will be enough to soften his usual hardline style.


Trump Calls Sheinbaum “Fantastic”—But Still Threatens Tariffs

Want to understand the bigger picture behind these water talks?

Check out our columnist Martina Dobesh, who dives deep into Baja’s water politics—minus the fluff and drama.

At the Gringo Gazette North, we keep it cool—because in Baja, every drop counts.

A Stark Warning of Water Cuts: A Water Watch Editorial
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Trump and his taxes
 Articles, Breaking News, Water

Trump Wants to Cut Off Tijuana’s Water


Says Texas Is Thirsty

Just when we thought we’d seen it all, Donald Trump is now threatening tariffs—and yes, even cutting off water to Tijuana.

The reason? He claims Mexico is hoarding water that rightfully belongs to Texas farmers. According to him, 1.3 million acre-feet of water are missing. That’s not just a lot—it’s Texas’s entire sugar crop and citrus farms crying for help.

The 1944 Water Treaty requires Mexico to send water north every five years. Trump says Mexico isn’t keeping up. And now he wants payback: economic sanctions, closed borders, and zero agua for Baja.

His former Agriculture Secretary, Brooke Rollins, chimed in with promises of “escalating consequences.” That’s political code for: “We’re serious. Don’t make us come down there.”

Meanwhile, Texas Senator Ted Cruz jumped in to stir the pot. He called the situation “a man-made crisis” and said Texas deserves better. Of course, he didn’t mention the part about record droughts on both sides of the border.

Creating by IA

The U.S. already rejected Mexico’s latest water delivery proposal. That includes water needed for Tijuana. So yes—this could get very real, very fast.

But let’s take a breath. Treaties are tricky, and diplomacy still exists—somewhere. Baja’s not running dry just yet.

At the Gringo Gazette North, we say this: Let’s stay informed, not inflamed. If water’s the next border battle, let’s keep our cool—and maybe a backup jug, just in case.

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 Baja Norte, Breaking News, Local Politics, Rosarito, Water

Rosarito’s Desalination Plant Confirmed: A Game Changer for Water Supply and Tourism

Rosarito is set to get its own desalination plant, as confirmed by Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum during her morning press conference. The project, part of the National Water Plan, is moving forward with an estimated investment of 12 billion pesos ($648 million USD).

“Yes, we are going to build it… We will make the desalination plant in Baja California a reality,” Sheinbaum stated.

Rosarito’s Mayor Rocío Adame wasted no time celebrating the news. “The desalination plant is happening! This project will be key to improving water supply in South Rosarito and protecting our beaches,” she wrote on social media.

A Sustainable Future for Rosarito

The plant, classified as a Greenfield project, will have a production capacity of 2,200 liters per second, ensuring a sustainable water supply for the region. According to Proyectos México, the most recent review took place on March 12, 2025, with Banobras and Fonadin backing the initiative.

Beyond water infrastructure, Rosarito is also making waves in tourism and sustainability. Mayor Adame’s administration is actively working toward National Tourism Quality Certification, a seal that guarantees high standards and environmental responsibility for destinations across Mexico.

“This certification is a comprehensive recognition of quality and sustainability in tourism,” explained Paul Corona Rodríguez, president of COTUCO Rosarito.

With major infrastructure investments and a strong focus on eco-friendly tourism, Rosarito is on track to become a national leader in regional development.

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 Baja Norte, Water, Water Watch

What Happens Up River, Happens Here

Water Wars – Water Watch Update Series

Is it really climate change causing Baja California’s water issue? A truth lies beneath the blaming of Mother Nature for the water predicament facing seven US states and Mexico. There has been for a number of years a water-war going on behind closed doors. Not with guns of course, but legal infighting about who get the greater allotment of water from the Colorado River. In fact, it is still much like the old fashion range wars between cattlemen and farmers. Who wins a war? Who decides who wins? All this has to be decided by 2026.

What is the truth? To find out, research sends us all the way back to 1869, and John Wesley Powell, a small bearded man who lost his right arm at Shiloh. He didn’t let his loss inconvenience his desire to discover the truth. He set out with six men and two boats to take a first-hand look into the canyons where the mighty Colorado River ran. It was the first trip of its kind by the European settlers. Of course, the first Paleo-Indians knew this wild arid land because it had been their home for 13,000 years. 

It was Powell who reported what he saw, “an arid region and a land of scarcity.” He made it his life’s work to report, “You have to plan on the scarcity, not on the abundance.” He advocated strict water resource conservation. In 1878 he published Report on the Lands of the Arid Regions of the United States. His book suggested it made more sense to draw state boundaries according to watershed areas. His brilliant ideas became under attack by politicians, scientists, railroad corporations, and a belief that the United States was ordained by God to move westward. This ideology was created by John O’Sullivan and called The Manifest Destiny. There was also included a variety of measures designed to remove or destroy the native population. 

 Powell discouraged the practice of dividing government land into arbitrary rectangular plots for settlement, arguing that this technique ran the risk of concentrating valuable water resources on single plots. In developing the United States, Powell proposed that settlements consist of cooperative communities, similar to those of the Mormons, Pueblos, and Hispanic New Mexicans. This communal lifestyle would allow groups to pool the capital for the irrigation projects necessary to draw water from large rivers. For all his efforts, John Powell, lost even more favor from the American public and vested commercial interests. This conflict made his plans for the scientifically managed developament of the West politically impossible. As a result, Powell’s ideas went generally disregarded with the Homestead Act, large-scale damming projects and water rights up for grabs. He resigned from the USGS in 1894. 

 Mexican nationals who have lived in Baja for generation have seen changes in weather. Many of us who immigrated decades ago have also seen the changes. However, are these weather changes the actual cause of the dwindling water concerns we are facing today? John Powell clearly pointed out that the arid land had to be treated wisely. It would be interesting to know what he would say about the use of his name on Glen Canyon’s, Lake Powell Reservoir, and the urban sprawl in the metropolitan areas of all seven Basin States. If Mr. Powell was still alive, he would probably shake his head thinking that bringing the water to the people simply lacks insight into human nature.

Hidden in our own Gringo Gazette was a warning, February 10, Que Pasa in Baja; Scientist from the Center for Scientific Research, reported that “Ensenada is experiencing its driest start to the rainy season since 1950. Without significant rainfall in February and March, a critical situation is anticipated. If the trend continues in the upcoming months, we could face severe water shortages in the summer.” And as of this writing we have only had two spats of rain that carried little hope. The record keepers here tell us it is the driest since 1895. And according to the US Drought Monitor, 24.5 million California residents live in this drought area. 

It can be safely suggested that concerns about water allotments are not about climate change. There has been a fundamental error made which Powell foresaw. Of course, no rain and snow fall stress the system, which should mean government cut backs. As Powell pointed out development should not be focused on hoped for abundance. The problem is overdevelopment of arid lands. These lands were never meant to maintain alfalfa for cows, almond groves, mega agriculture and landscaping to name just a few of the mega users. One question to asked; Can consistent migration west with its foreseeable development be truly sustainable? As has been written, “More water means more people,” and it is simply a non-sustainable loop. 

During 2025 there are several important water issues to keep in mind. Baja receives 80% of its water from the Colorado River allotments, however this has already been reduced by approximately 263 million cubic meters, roughly two trillion gallons. Governor Pilar Ávila is the first Baja governor to address this reliance on the Colorado water. But the state is already entering a severe drought pattern. 

The second issue to keep an eye on is what is happening to the north and the political climate. This year is the last opportunity for all the seven states and Mexico to be self-governing in the way they propose to reduce the allotments. For if the states cannot come to an agreement and go to court, the final decisions will fall into Federal hands. The US government was given more power by a recent Supreme court case, “Texas vs New Mexico, if the states cannot come to an agreement, the government has the right to intervene. Tom Buschatzke, Arizona’s top water negotiator, stressed, “I think each state honestly does not want to be in a courtroom rolling the dice regarding how a judge might rule.” We will see how the US treats Mexico’s water rights. Keeping in mind that the massive damming along the river course, stole from Mexico 75 miles of the beautiful Colorado River which use to run into the Gulf of California. 

Water leaders said they do not expect Donald Trump’s return to the White House to shake up the Colorado River negotiation process. However, the president did admit that it would be different than the last administration. Some water users and onlookers say the new administration could impact the future of the river in other ways. What happens up river happens to us. We are all connected by our need for water.

References:

  • drought.gov/states/california
  • KUNC NPR News, Colorado Stories
  • Memorandum from the Secretary of the Interior
  • Arnold & Porter
  • National Park Service
  • Gringo Gazette

Editor’s Note: Martina is a freelance writer, author and columnist for Baja Bound. She has a passion to keep updated on current affairs concerning Baja’s water future. Get her book from Amazon: Dust in my Sandals, Tales from a Baja Travel. It’s time to plan your Baja Adventure! Put on your sandals and visit places you’ve never been.

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 Water, Water Watch

Is Water a Human Right or a Commodity?

Part of our Water Watch Report Series

Eric Faulken the executive director of the Glen Canyon Institute said, “One or two dry winters can put our water supply in a crisis mode like we experienced in 2022, and that is the real story.” But heavy winter rain and snowfall of 2023 bailed us out of a very dire situation temporarily. However, we watched much of the precious liquid flow right out into the ocean. Never the less it did help wells and reservoirs for a time. As a reminder, Baja’s north coastal region receives 80% of its water requirements from the Colorado River.  Baja relies on the water allotments from the US each year. Seven states including California also draw their allotments from these waters. These next two years are critical because the 1922 River Compact Agreement expires, which has protected our rights under the compact.  Heated negotiation has been ongoing for a number of years. The question is who gets what amount of the lifesaving liquid under the new compact in 2026? In reality it would take six consecutive wet winters to fill the Lake Powell and Lake Mead reservoirs. At the moment the Bureau of Reclamation (USBR,) lives in hope of good winters, and its forecasted allotments are based on this hope that nature will provide for our over consumption. 

 Zack Frankly the executive director of the Utah Rivers Council said, “We are playing with loaded dice. The big winter of 2023 created the misconception that Reservoir levels were going to rebound. But America’s two largest reservoirs are only about 37% full. That is like winning the lottery and still being bankrupt. The Bureau of Reclamation reports that six states and Baja will be under Tier One water shortage, which will be the least severe designation. The State of California is exempt. California does not have to comply until the water crisis enters a tier three condition. A number of conservation groups say that the Bureau keeps overestimating its predictions of its future flows. Yet the Bureau reported that Lake Mead has dropped 15 feet as of July 2024.  To put it into perspective, the level of Lake Mead as of this writing, is just 8 feet above the severe drought levels in July 2022. Hope might not be the best way to prepare for the future.

The Colorado runs through a vast desert on its way to the Gulf of California, however 75 miles of the once mighty river no longer makes it into Baja California. When the River Compact was created in 1922, evaporation loss was not factored. Lake Mead was full and population was very small. It is certainly a major factor today because of the exploding population in the west.  The Bureau now estimates a whopping 10% lost. The allotments must be corrected for the new compact in 2026. These negotiations which will affect 40 million people, agriculture, and Baja California.  The USBR said the lower Basin States plus Baja had finally agreed, but now with this new report of a substantial evaporation loss before allotments, it is back to the negotiations. Upper basin states can draw right from the river, so the fight is that the losses fall to the lower basin states. The lower Basin believes everyone should share equally. 

The US federal government wants the states to agree on one proposal, rather than two, before it installs any new Colorado River water rules. States say they’re working towards consensus, but signs of progress have been few and far between. While the next set of rules won’t go into effect until 2026, the federal government wants to get the ball rolling as soon as possible. The Biden Administration is asking states to agree on one proposal before the end of 2024. Jim Lochhead, one of Colorado’s top water negotiators said, “I think the fundamental lesson is that we’re much better off controlling our own destiny than putting our future in the hands of nine justices on the United States Supreme Court who don’t understand Western water law, and who don’t understand life in the West,” 

 What might not be known by US tax payers is that the states of Arizona, California, Nevada and Baja have been paid to reduce their water usage.  The federal government set aside $4 Billion for Colorado River work, and a portion of that has been directed specifically at programs that help farmers to reduce their water use. The agreement, calls for the federal government to pay about $1.2 billion to irrigation districts, cities and Native American tribes in the three states, if they temporarily use less water. Since 2021 Mexico has been paid $65 million dollars in compensation. 

Water is a “Hot Commodity.” The Colorado River is one of the most valuable resources in the United States. Wall Street sees dollar signs in a future drought crisis, as there are ways ready to make money from the misfortune of others. Water wasn’t always thought of as a commodity that could be bought and sold. Water was at one time considered a human right. The 1992 Dublin Principles declared water an “economic good” for the first time and stated that trading water as a commodity is the most efficient means of managing scarce water resources. However, this directly threatens the fundamental notion that water is a human right, “to be available to all people regardless of their income or economic ability.” 

There are literally billions of dollars at stake and Wall Street sees what was actually seen 20 years ago, that water would become the new oil in the 21st century. They are the largest land owner in the Grand Valley, Colorado which gives them river water rights. If Wall Street is betting that there will be another drought on its way, and is backing their speculation with millions of dollars, it may be wise to stay informed. 

References:

~ Gringo Gazette:, Water Watch Series begins: ggnorth.com/2021/08/august-16-2021-edition

~ Binational Waters  

~ Flow: For the Love of Water- Can you imagine the power of a Water Cartel? Melissa Sevigny, July, 2024

~ KUNC, Western Water News, Here’s what you need to know, Alex Hager, May 9, 2024 

~ The New York Times: Colorado River States Are, Christopher Flavelle, January, 2024

~ Mojo Adventures Youtube channel

Editor’s Note: Martina has researched and authored 13 Water Watch articles since 2021. She is a columnist for Baja Bound as the Baja StoryTeller and is the author of Dust in My Sandals, Tales from a Baja Traveler in which she shares decades of her travels up and down the peninsula. See our ad and order today for a gift that keeps on giving.

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 Articles, Breaking News, Water, Water Watch

A Stark Warning of Water Cuts: A Water Watch Editorial

It seems an act of sheer folly to write about staying vigilant in our water usage after two relatively wet winters here in Baja California. It would seem the populus has fallen under a spell which suggests there is no longer a water issue in our future. But finally, a trickle of information was buried in the May 6th issue of this paper in the Que Pasa in Baja?, entitled “Baja California Faces Severe Colorado River Water Cuts.” It was only a matter of time for the alarm about water to be raised once again. The concern about water and the lack of it was never resolved; it just went underground with the rain of the last wet winters.

The Permanent Forum on Binational Waters issued the stark warning. “The upcoming cut in Colorado River water allocation to Mexico in 2024 will exceed the annual water usage of all Baja California cities reliant on this source.” This will mean about a 33% cut. It went on to say that the 2024 reductions of Baja’s primary water source have been severe, “the most severe will be in 2025, when a new administration is in charge.” This refers to the US elections in November. The 1944 Treaty protecting Colorado River water to Baja will expire in 2026. Yet the push for “progress” is in full gear around the state.
In the January 15th Gringo Gazette front page article sighted that the new governor, Marina Pila, attended the World Economic Forum in Switzerland where she stated that her primary goal was to showcase Baja California as “an ideal investment destination.” There was a long list of issues to be addressed such as economic development, security and sustainability. Last year the new governor announced her pet mega project for the wine country.  An “artificial town” with the theme of a medieval Italian village as a residential community and tourist complex with shops and lodging. 

The June 3rd paper had headlines of a “premier entertainment hub, boasting a capacity of 10,000 people for top-tier events,” including 300 bathrooms. How they can claim to be “eco-friendly” is absurd. June 14th Gringo Gazette was filled with articles promising happy tourist paradise and more jobs. One such is set to “Transform Ensenada’s Port Area,” and a ferry service from Ensenada to San Diego is expected in the next five months. Claiming to “boost” Baja’s image is touted as the “Punta Piedra’s New Misión Project.” It will feature 70 residences with “advanced technology and water-saving systems.” All of this is in alignment with the government’s blessings to have Baja California “attracting capital to the state.” It should be asked who is promising abundant water flowing for the generations of investors?  

Since I began investigating this issue over the last two decades it has become obvious to me that people’s minds tend to default to the idea that building desal plants will be our savior. Always after receiving these disturbing water facts there is always a casual wave of the hand, “Well, build a desal plant.” And sure enough, the July 1st front-page article by Archer Ingram, Rosarito’s New Desalination Plant Gets Green Light. I was amused by the subtitle, “if its ever completed” which is probably close to the truth. Ingram did a good job giving us all the ins and outs of the politics and costs of building it to a tune of half a billion dollars. But not addressed was the cost of operation and increased prices to the users. It wasn’t stated how long it would take to build the plant after all the talking stops. Given the timely nature of Rosarito’s water needs for development it is an important question. Will there be enough water to build it? This one plant would not furnish Rosarito’s growing needs and the impact on the ocean is a very real issue.

Oliver Quintero, Publisher of the Gringo Gazette, stated the land had already been purchased years ago for the first failed project which ended in litigation, the site is in Ejido Mazatlán, right next to the CFE thermoelectrical plant.

Water cuts are here. Water is our most precious thing we have. We waste a lot of it. Learning to conserve is wise for any future planning. To check out the water facts and history go to the Gringo Gazette webpage, ggnorth.com. Scroll down to August 16 and 30, 2021 where the Water Watch series begins.  Be sure and check out the YouTube channel Mojo Adventures for current boots-on-the-ground updates on the Colorado River as we head into 2026.

Editor’s Note: Martina is a freelance writer and journalist. She is the creator of the Water Watch series as a community service. She is the author of Dust in My Sandals, Tales from a Baja Traveler. See our ad and dive into her true adventures and wonders of Baja California.

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 Breaking News, Rosarito, Water

$800 Million Approved to End Desalination Plant Dispute in Rosarito

Tijuana.- The Baja California government has secured federal funding totaling 800 million pesos to purchase land for a new desalination plant and settle an international lawsuit with Aguas de Rosarito. Víctor Amador Barragán, Secretary for Water Management, Sanitation, and Protection (Seproa), announced the allocation for the formalization of the land purchase and the discontinuation of international arbitration.

The dispute began after a contract cancellation by former governor Jaime Bonilla Valdez, prompting Aguas de Rosarito S.A.P.I, a consortium slated to execute the desalination project, to file a lawsuit under the trade agreement between Mexico and the European Union.

Marco Moreno Mexía, State Finance Secretary, indicated that an agreement with the consortium is imminent, which will conclude the international litigation. He mentioned that details on the restructuring of the project are forthcoming, emphasizing the sensitivity of the ongoing negotiations involving the Mexican state.

The planned facility will be built on the same site initially intended by Aguas de Rosarito, next to a hydroelectric station operated by the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE). Moreno Mexía cited this location as optimal due to existing infrastructure.

Moreover, he revealed that the states of Arizona and California have shown a “real interest” in investing in the project, but priority will be given to addressing local water supply issues in Baja California. The plant is expected to produce one to two cubic meters of desalinated water per second, ensuring water supply to the coastal zone of Baja California for the next decade.

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 Baja Norte, Breaking News, Rosarito, Water

Former Director of CESPT Discusses Water Issues with Pro-Municipality Committee

The Pro-Municipality Committee of Rosarito, Baja California recently invited Enrique Ruelas, former director of the State Public Service Commission of Tijuana (CESPT), to discuss water issues affecting the region.

During the meeting, Ruelas spoke about the challenges faced by the CESPT, particularly with regard to the distribution of water to different parts of the state. He also discussed the need for better infrastructure and more efficient water management systems in order to ensure that all residents have access to clean and reliable water.

Ruelas emphasized the importance of collaboration between different government agencies and civil society groups in addressing water-related issues. He also noted that the issue of water scarcity is not unique to Baja California, but is a global challenge that requires innovative solutions and a commitment to sustainability.

The Pro-Municipality Committee is a grassroots organization that advocates for the creation of a new municipality in Rosarito. The group argues that creating a new municipality would allow for more efficient and effective governance, and would help to address long-standing issues related to public services, infrastructure, and economic development.

The discussion with Ruelas is part of the group’s ongoing efforts to engage with experts and stakeholders on issues of importance to the community. Through these conversations, the Pro-Municipality Committee hopes to build support for its campaign and to work towards a more prosperous and sustainable future for Rosarito and its residents.

The meeting was seen as a positive step forward in addressing water-related issues in the region, and in promoting greater collaboration and cooperation between different actors in the community.

SOURCE: Ecos de Rosarito by Juan Pablo Sebastián

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 Baja Norte, Breaking News, Water

Cloud-Seeding Project Operates in Baja California to Combat Drought

The rain stimulation project in Baja California has already begun operating this year, and it involves releasing silver iodide molecules into the clouds, but without generating any waste in the environment, according to personnel from the Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural Development (Sader). They detailed that these actions are under the responsibility of the National Commission for Arid Zones (Conaza). The molecules are placed in the path of the clouds to precipitate rain in the areas of interest, which generates humidity and runoff towards the prairies and dams, as explained.

In the state, the rain stimulation project began in the winter of 2022 and, to date, two flights have been carried out with the Mexican Air Force (FAM) King Air 5213 aircraft, on February 15 and 20 of 2023, when favorable cloud conditions were present. The state agency referred that the flights covered the southern area of ​​the polygon over the territory of the municipalities of Ensenada and San Quintín. Specifically, over the localities of El Descanso, La Huertita, and Cataviña in the southern part, and San José, El Morro, El Descanso, and Kilometer 147. In total, 120 liters of the mentioned reactive were released during the two flights.

According to Sader’s data, in the following days, they will do the same in the region of Bajo Río Bravo Tamaulipas, where the state government will contribute a Turbocommander twin-engine aircraft. This will be in Irrigation District 025, in order to counteract the effects of drought in agriculture and livestock in these areas. “In 2021, this 100% national technology was implemented for the first time in Mexico. It allowed an average increase of 45.1% in excess of rainfall, which is positive since the American Meteorological Society recognizes increases in liquid between 10 and 20 percent as successful,” they detailed in the official information.

Regarding the Turbocommander aircraft, they mentioned that it has the desired characteristics to carry out rain stimulation over the established polygon and based on the cloud and humidity characteristics that pass over the defined region. The stimulation area will be the one corresponding to the polygon carried out the previous year, over irrigation districts DR-024 and DR-025. For this, they spoke with the producers to detail the dates and type of stimulation, which is expected to start this week.

Agriculture personnel recalled that last year, the project also benefited polygons within Sonora, Sinaloa, the Lagunera Region, and Chihuahua. “Rain stimulation technology also helped combat at least 25 forest fires, mainly in the states of Nuevo León and Chihuahua, and to extinguish a remaining fire in the Sierra de Arteaga in 2021,” they referred. Finally, they assured that the planning and programming of this type of flight are carried out based on the analysis of meteorological conditions defined by the National Meteorological Service and with additional information obtained through mobile applications and satellite images.

SOURCE: El Vigia

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 Articles, Water, Water Watch

Water Watch 2022! Part 2

I stood on a hilltop with Cornelio Zapata, a 30 year resident of La Misión. We look down on the estuary and the la Misión River. He shakes his head and says with deep concern, “I have never seen the river so low. It use to run all the way out to the ocean and there were clear pure swimming places. Now it is green with algae.” His small comfortable home was once the only dwelling on the hill. He has had at one time a vast nearly 360 degree view of the ocean and all the way to the eastern mountains. Now it is surrounded by huge multilevel homes all needing water. He is experiencing for the first time a new water restriction.  Senor Zapata added that his good friend, who grew the sweetest white corn, can’t grow it this year; his pump can no longer reach the aquifer which is now too low. While La Misión has always had a natural supply of water from the mountain region and aquifers, it is being threatened. The major cities of Tijuana to Ensenada are impacted by the Colorado River allotment cutbacks which were reported in Part 1 of Water Watch 2022.  

Local Reports and Solutions for 2022 Historically people act when motivated to do so. The question is will we be forced into this new reality? Will it be a wakeup to learn we have outgrown Baja’s natural resources, as well as the Colorado River allotment of 1944? Senior Zapata is not the only one in La Misión with water issues. Several new mega houses were built next to his home and neither was given access to water by La Misión Water Company. These homes will rely on the water trucks to chug up the hill. It is reported that the truck owners have their own private wells where they fill up their trucks. Many of the easy sources dried up this year. 

John Stadelmann, The President of the Board of Directors for ten years of La Misión Water Company addresses this in his newly released video.  He is proud to announce that water delivery to the homes in La Misión has been “spectacular,” compared to CSPT delivery records in Tijuana and Ensenada. CSPT has frequent break downs and repairs, and “they just don’t have enough water to go around.” Mr. Stadelmann goes on to say that it is important to know the Water Board operates on a license with CONAGUA, the federal water board for all of Mexico. These licenses have 10 year duration, but La Misión’s expired in 2018. Given the fact that high powered lawyers have worked hard to resolve this, the license is still not renewed four years later. “There is a rumor, Stadelmann shared, “between water experts and lawyers that CONAGUA has an intent to close the small private wells to make it possible to give the big municipal suppliers like CSPT of Tijuana and Ensenada, more water volume to distribute.” The La Misión Water Company will fight to keep their water rights.

Mr. Stadelmann continued, “The second more immediate and larger threat comes from within our very community.” CONAGUA, dictates just how much water can be pump from the aquifer each year. Consider the fact that we are able to pump 10 million gallons per year! All the rules on usage per household are driven by this limit.” He said that in 2018 the community rarely used more than two-thirds of the total, and were safely within the limit. But in 2021 it shot up to 82%; at this rate the usage will exceed the license by 2024. Stadelmann warns, “If the abuses continue CONAGUA can shut down our well. It would be an utter catastrophe.” He points a finger directly at the issue of the increase in homes being built and the thoughtless chronic over users. The water is not for swimming pools, fountains, or landscapes. “These chronic over users could be the cause of our license to be repealed…The message is simple, the solutions are not. We all must use a whole lot less if we expect to continue to live here. It requires education, reeducation, some technology and lots of discipline. We are in it together.” These words apply to every coastal community in this state.

Local Reports and long time resident of Bajamar, Ruth Rockwell, says that they have had to close 9 holes of the golf course. Residents in Ensenada are out of city water for a week or more.  Punta Del Mar uses their gray water for landscaping. San Antonio Del Mar is attempting to put together a plan to become self-sufficient, and not rely on the government’s delivery system. John Stadelmann stresses that the water trucks will have to travel to the high plateau and fill from the catch basin which is meant to recharge the underground sources. The increase in rates can’t be far behind. It is skillful to question any new developers as to how they will address their own water and wastewater issues. It isn’t how beautiful the future home may appear, but will there be water to flush the toilet. 

Real Solutions should have begun two decades ago. Now it is a rush to catch up, if and when the issue seems real enough in people’s minds. Humanity along the Colorado River has literally drunk the once mighty Colorado dry. Drilling deeper and desal plants are future timelines with major issues. Be careful falling into false hope; be part of the solution and not part of the problem.  If there is a first most important step it would be to appreciate and develop gratitude for the water every time we use it. Realize how many times a day we need it. Appreciation can create the first abatement to our overuse. The next step, get serious about the water declines. We can act now from the comfort of our homes. Create appreciation by taking a few minutes to watch the two videos below. Educate yourself and look for personal solutions. Support the front line workers and begin to understand that we are all interdependent and share this extraordinary water network. 

Martina is a Freelance writer, see her ad for ordering her travel book, Dust In My Sandals

Contact Information:

Margarita Diaz Directora Proyecto Fronterizo

664-630-0590, Cell 664-188-62-36

margarita@pfea.org   www.pfea.org

John Stadelmann link for La Misión

Videos of our Water’s 86 mile journey to our homes

www.cea.gob.mx/arct.html

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