Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico – SEAPAL Vallarta, the city’s water and sewage agency, recently completed urgent repairs in the Emiliano Zapata neighborhood, tackling a significant leak and a resulting sinkhole. This incident, on Camichín Street between Rivera del Río Cuale and Aquiles Serdán, has brought to light the extensive challenges posed by Puerto Vallarta’s aging water and sewage infrastructure.
The problem originated from a ruptured 3-inch diameter pipe, an old component of the city’s system, leading to a substantial water leak and the subsequent collapse of a portion of the road. SEAPAL personnel responded promptly, utilizing specialized machinery and tools to control the leak and prevent further water loss. The neighborhood’s drinking water supply was fully restored by Wednesday afternoon.
Alejandro Padilla Viorato, SEAPAL’s Operations Director, explained that such sinkholes are often directly linked to leaks in both drinking water and sewage systems. He noted that many of the pipes currently in use have exceeded their useful life, with some being over 30 years old and a number approaching 45 years.
“It is necessary to rehabilitate and replace a large part of these networks,” Padilla Viorato stated. He identified several areas across the city facing similar infrastructure deterioration, including Emiliano Zapata, Las Juntas, Ixtapa, El Pitillal Centro, 5 de Diciembre, and the city center. It’s estimated that roughly 50% of Vallarta’s entire plumbing infrastructure requires renovation.
Padilla Viorato attributed the current state of the infrastructure to a “historical lack of investment in network rehabilitation,” a problem that has been neglected for many years. He emphasized that while the current SEAPAL administration is not responsible for the origin of these long-standing issues, they are committed to addressing them immediately, prioritizing the safety of residents and the urban environment.
“We are acting quickly and responsibly to address a backlog that was not addressed in a timely manner,” Padilla Viorato affirmed, underscoring the agency’s dedication to mitigating risks and making significant progress on the essential infrastructure renovations the city needs.
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