The term “megacorte” has become all too familiar in Mexico lately, particularly due to maintenance, droughts, or repairs. Recently, we’ve seen yet another instance of this phenomenon, leaving many to wonder what’s behind these widespread water outages.
What’s Behind the Latest Water Megacorte?
The Sistema Intermunicipal de los Servicios de Agua Potable y Alcantarillado (SIAPA) has announced a megacorte, which occurred on March 3, affecting numerous neighborhoods, including Tonalá, Jalisco. The cause of this latest outage was attributed to repair work on the Acueducto Oriente V, located in the Lomas del Camichín neighborhood. This maintenance began at 6:00 a.m. on Monday, March 3, 2025, and left thousands of residents without water for several hours, understandably causing significant distress among the population.
The megacorte was specifically caused by maintenance work and repairs to the Acueducto Oriente V, a crucial infrastructure for the region’s water supply. According to SIAPA, the service is expected to be restored by March 4, although the timeline may vary depending on the nature of the repairs and potential blockages in individual households.
Affected Colonias
The water megacorte impacted a total of 103 neighborhoods in Tonalá. Among the primary affected areas are:
- 20 de Noviembre
- Arboledas de San Gaspar
- Bosques de Tonalá
- Hacienda Real
- Lázaro Cárdenas (Barranquitas)
- Los Girasoles
- Mirador Oriente
- Villas de La Cruz (El Roble)
For a comprehensive list of affected neighborhoods, residents can refer to SIAPA’s official announcements. It’s essential for locals to stay informed about the progress of repairs to plan accordingly.
Free Water Tanker Support
To mitigate the effects of the outage, SIAPA offered free water tanker services to the affected areas. Residents could request this service by calling the SIAPATEL hotline (33-3668-2482), available 24/7. This temporary solution provided relief to thousands of people while the repairs were being completed.
What to Do If Water Outages Persist
If some residents continue to experience water supply issues, SIAPA recommends immediately reporting the situation so that prompt action can be taken. It’s possible that the lack of water might be due to blockages within household connections or other specific factors. In such cases, SIAPA can provide assistance to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
In the midst of this water crisis, SIAPA has also warned against potential fraud and urged residents to be cautious of irregular services. If anyone encounters such situations, they should report them to the SIAPA Internal Contraloria at 33-3837-4200, extension 4015, or via email, as well as to any Ministry of Public Prosecutor’s office. As megacortes seem to be becoming a regular occurrence, affected residents who haven’t had their water supply restored should contact the authorities as soon as possible to resolve the issue promptly.