Major water infrastructure project is expected to strengthen water supply for Tijuana, Rosarito and Ensenada
Construction of the Rosarito desalination plant is getting underway as part of a federal and state effort to strengthen the long-term water supply for Baja California’s coastal region.
During a morning press conference following President Claudia Sheinbaum’s visit to Baja California, Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda announced that construction of the project was about to begin. Government officials have described the facility as the largest desalination plant in Latin America.
The project is expected to provide an additional source of drinking water for Tijuana, Playas de Rosarito and Ensenada. Federal officials say the plant will have a capacity of 2,200 liters per second and could increase water availability in the region by up to 45 percent.
Baja California Treasury Secretary José Andrés Pulido Saavedra said one of the first steps toward moving the project forward was resolving an international arbitration case stemming from an earlier public-private partnership contract for the desalination plant.
He explained that the previous contract was never completed and ultimately led to an international arbitration proceeding involving the Mexican government. According to Pulido Saavedra, an agreement was reached to resolve the dispute, allowing the government to acquire the land needed for the project.
The federal government acquired the property for approximately 596 million pesos through the National Infrastructure Fund (Fonadin), according to the state government.
Following the land acquisition, federal authorities conducted financial and technical analyses to determine the contributions required from the federal and state governments.
“The federal government said, ‘I will build the entire desalination plant and deliver the water to a tank so the state can distribute it to the municipalities of Tijuana, Rosarito and Ensenada,’” Pulido Saavedra said.
The desalination plant itself represents an investment of more than 10 billion pesos in federal funds, according to state officials.
The first stage of the project was awarded to Cox Energy and Cox Water. The first stage includes additional engineering studies, preparation of the final project design and construction of the desalination plant.
The state government will separately develop the distribution infrastructure needed to transport water from the plant’s storage tank to the municipalities and, ultimately, to households.
According to state officials, the combined investment in the desalination plant and related water-conveyance infrastructure exceeds 15.6 billion pesos. The project is being financed through public investment, with officials stating that the cost will not be passed on to residents through higher water rates.
The project is scheduled to be completed in approximately 36 months. The federal government has identified the Rosarito desalination plant as a key project under the National Water Plan, aimed at strengthening water availability in the region.