The State Commission of Public Services of Tijuana (CESPT) said Friday that the repair works of the Florido - Aguaje Aqueduct have been completed, which caused water to be cut off to more than 1 million Baja Californians in Tijuana and Playas de Rosarito.
According to the CESPT, 100% of the scheduled repairs were carried out on the 12 fronts of the aqueduct and at noon water service was back on at 20%.
The areas to which the service had already begun to resume were the low-lying areas such as El Paraíso, Residencial Agua Caliente and the Rio Zone. And it is expected that in the course of the day more neighborhoods will have their water turned back on.
According to the CESPT, it is expected that 100% of the neighborhoods will recover water service on Saturday night.
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Authorities urged the population to save water while shut off resumes for the rest of the neighborhoods in high, remote areas.
More than Half of Tijuana Without Water
More than half of the population of Tijuana was left without water. And as a result of maintenance works of the Florido-Aguaje aqueduct neighbors were also left for hours without electricity in Playas de Tijuana, a problem that affected schools and shops.
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Many, without time to store the water, had to buy jugs of drinking water to cook or bathe, which caused those who sell it, to run out of product.
"We had to close because we no longer had water," said Víctor Hernández, in charge of The Aqua Life Plant, a water store.
The State Public Services Commission of Tijuana informed Telemundo 20 that on Thursday 60% of the population in Tijuana and 80% of Rosarito were left without water.
"It's always the same thing, lack of planning and control of the networks," Jorge Alberto Gonzalez said.
So, the Tijuanans had to stop doing some activities at home and there were limited services in shops.
"There are products that we are denying because we waste more water in washing those devices and the machine that is used, there are also things that we cannot clean," said Andrea Argote, a barista in Playas de Tijuana.
And every time the power goes out, they must close earlier, which has happened at least six times in just over two months.
"It affects us a lot, because since we work by means of water pumps, then if there is no light, we cannot turn on the pumps, if it affects us a lot," explained Víctor Hernández.
The federal electricity commission said that these constant power cuts in Tijuana are due to palms-on private property falling on distribution lines and that the blackout on Wednesday night was related to a blow to a medium voltage primary pole.
The state education system added that more than 60 schools in the region were affected by the lack of water in the institutions, which generated school closures.
Here is a list of neighborhoods affected by the water shutoff:
This story was originally reported by NBC 7's sister station, Telemundo 20. To read the article, click here.
