Mexicali is full of water supplied by the Colorado River that comes from the USA and enters into Mexico through the border between Baja California and Sonora. Bilateral agreements between Mexico and USA guarantee 1,850 million cubic meters of water per year. The Colorado River is the main water source for the State of Baja California.

The West Coast Region (Tijuana, Playas de Rosarito and Tecate) is supplied of water by the 300 km aqueduct coming from the municipality of Mexicali. Baja California is therefore the only State in the border region that can guarantee non-interruptible water supply.

Mexicali is where the source of the State water is located, so that is the reason its rates are cheaper compared to the rest of the State. Hence, there is no coincidence that very-high water consuming companies are located in the State and especially in Mexicali. Some examples of companies that are located in Baja California are the CRTs manufactures (picture tubes for TV’s and Computer Monitors) that consume approximately more than 100 liters per second, for instance:

• Thomson located in Mexicali
• Domex located in Mexicali
• Samsung located in Tijuana

Therefore, as you can see, availability and consumption of water is higher in Mexicali. This means that a high water-consuming company does not represent a big consumption in comparison with activity in the agricultural valley.

* Tijuana has a Secondary Source, a water dam that captures water from rain, it is not very reliable though and (depends on rainfall) supply quantities are lower than the aqueduct. Number is not given since it is very variable. Tecate also gets water from the aquifers and in this case, the aquifers are the primary source and the aqueduct is a secondary source.

Exchange rate considered: 1 US Dollar X 10.80 pesos. - May, 2006
Cubic meters are set in Mexican Pesos, Gallons are set in U.S. Dollars.
The rate is subject to changes in accordance with the raise in operation costs.  Tax not included.
Source: Comisión Estatal de Servicios Públicos.

MEXICALI

Potable Water is available throughout the city of Mexicali and distributed by The State Commission of Public Utilities of Mexicali - CESPM - (Comisión Estatal de Servicios Públicos de Mexicali).

CESPM is in charge of the distribution and maintenance of the city network, but does not reach the Mexicali Valley or the Heavy Industry Corridor. Around 2,149,918 meters of pipelines constitute the network, which covers 98% of the city. The following picture is a lay out of the pipelines network distribution in Mexicali.

Water quality that CESPM delivers complies with Mexican Regulation on Health NOM-127-SSA1-1994.

If a manufacturing plant were to establish in an Industrial Park inside the city, water would be provided by CESPM. For more detailed information please go directly to www.cespm.gob.mx

Water in the Mexicali valley and Heavy Industry corridor

Water from the area is canal water used mainly for agriculture. This canal network is 2,300 Km long and irrigates approximately 250,000 hectares. Each hectare has 10,000 m3 per year of canal water assigned. These irrigation rights can be bought separately from the land if more water is needed; irrigation rights would have to be purchased to another irrigation right owner.

Water from canals is called “raw water”. The water source is the Colorado River that is guaranteed supply according to a Bi-National Agreement between Mexico and the U.S.A. Some canals can be dry, depending on the current needs of the property but gates can be opened to feed them if necessary.

Water from the canals originates in the Colorado River, then these waters feed the Morelos dam, and from the dam, main canals are the ones that irrigate the whole valley. These main canals have ramifications throughout the valley and these ramifications have their own ramifications, covering the whole area. 

The authorities in charge of organize, maintain and charge for services are the CNA (National Water Commission) and the price charged goes according to federal regulations by region. Mexicali has one of the cheapest rates because of water availability. The rate is cheaper than the city water, since canal water has not been treated.

Water in medium and small canals is controlled by gates or locks that feed the branches, according to water or irrigation rights obtained. Small branches have capacity flow of 240 liters per second, guaranteeing water for almost any manufacturing operation.

Main Canal Branches
Medium and Small Terminal Branch

TIJUANA

Tijuana's main source of water is the Colorado River. Additional sources of water are the Abelardo L. Rodriguez Dam, Mission Creek and the Alamar River. Tijuana has a monthly water supply of 8.4 million cubic meters. The State Commission of Public Utilities of Tijuana -CESPT- (Comisión Estatal de Servicios Públicos de Tijuana) is in charge of the distribution and maintenance of the city network.

The aqueduct, the main pipeline comes from Mexicali to the southwest part of Tijuana, right through El Florido Area. In this region is also the Abelardo L. Rodríguez Dam that is the secondary source of water for the city.

For this reason, El Florido Area is the best location in the city of Tijuana for high water-consuming companies such as Samsung, and it is also the place that can best guarantee water supply in the northwest coast of Baja California.

A second pipeline is planned for the city of San Diego, starting also from the Colorado River, in order to guarantee long-term water supply for the region.

For more detailed information please go directly to www.cespt.gob.mx