Los Cabos a La Carta · Los Cabos a la Carta

Entrevista con Julio César Villarreal Delegado de Conagua en BCS 10 de Abril de 2026

·15 min·1 clip

Over 150 water transporters protest after Conagua shuts down wells they depend on for their livelihood.

The episode begins with host Armando introducing a protest by over 150 water transporters, known as piperos, who are upset because Conagua has closed irregular wells they depend on for their livelihood. Armando connects with Julio César Villarreal, the Conagua delegate for Baja California Sur, to discuss the issue. Villarreal explains that Conagua's primary function is to administer national waters and grant concession titles, with legal priorities placing human water rights and domestic use first, followed by agriculture and livestock, and then services like water transport. He states that the piperos were offered alternatives, such as checking public water rights registries or shifting to transporting treated wastewater for construction, but they were not satisfied, leading to ongoing demonstrations in Cabo San Lucas. The host questions the slow pace of legalizing wells, noting that settlements in San Lucas and San José lack water service while bureaucratic processes drag on. Villarreal highlights federal investments, including a desalination plant in Cabo San Lucas that is 75% complete and will provide 250 liters per second for urban use, though it is classified as industrial under law. The discussion turns to a national investigation led by Conagua's director general, Efraín Morales, into water theft from the Los Cabos tourist corridor aqueduct, with responsibility still under review. The host and Armando later reflect on the seriousness of the theft allegations and ongoing issues like a non-functional purification plant in Baja California, which has been stalled for four months due to contractual problems, affecting water supply for thousands. The episode concludes with a teaser for an upcoming interview with Beatriz González from the Municipal Planning Institute.

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