Huachicoleros in La Paz tap water lines, not pipelines
The illegal taps pipe water to newly-built houses
There are huachicoleros at work in La Paz, Baja California Sur, but they’re not stealing oil — they are taking water with illegal taps into the
municipality’s water lines.
Officials have detected 516 such taps, most of which are in a few developments on the city’s south side.
Mario Ramón Gálvez Gámez, director of water services, likened the theft of water to fuel theft from petroleum pipelines, a practice known as
huachicoleo, a term derived from huachicol, slang for adulterated gasoline.
“We looked over everything and we found 516 clandestine taps, and now we’re looking in to how we want to go forward with the issue, because we
need to understand the situation,” he said. “We’ve been talking to developers to make sure they understand the issue.”
Most of the taps illegally direct water from the city’s grid to newly-built houses, a practice Gálvez called “a constant with developments.”
After the houses are sold, the new residents receive water without having a contract or regularized service from the city.
Gálvez warned people who live in such houses to get contracts and pay for their water service.
“. . . the buyer has the obligation to regularize the contract shortly after the purchase, and to put their name down and pay regularly. If they
don’t, but they still have water, we consider that a clandestine tap.”
Gálvez added that the freeloaders are hurting other residents of the city who do pay for their water.
Are there no inspectors (private or government) that drive around checking the construction projects?
Wow David you need to spend more time down here. Of course there are inspectors/laws/permits needed. This is Mexico where corruption rules supreme. Cops aren´t the only ones that take mordidas pretty much all officialdom down
here has a price. The way it is and has always been.
[Edited on 7-31-2019 by chippy]chippy - 7-31-2019 at 04:46 PM
Usually people think theft is a problembajabuddha - 7-31-2019 at 06:22 PM
Once agan DK has proven he knows Baja, the maps, the mileages, the spots, but not the culture or the inner city workings and foibles. It ain't
Oxnard, honkey gringos.
Can anyone name ANYWHERE in Baja (or mainland for that matter, even worse) this ain't happening in some form or another? My (least) favorite
tourista line is, "well, you'd think!...." as if it were Stateside. David K - 7-31-2019 at 09:42 PM