70+ Quintana Roo neighborhoods face 48-hour water outage

Quintana Roo, Mexico — More than 70 neighborhoods in the municipality of Benito Juárez, including the Alfredo V. Bonfil delegation and Isla Mujeres, have been without potable water for over 48 hours. The concessionaire Aguakan attributed the disruption to ongoing electromechanical maintenance on its system.

Residents Frustrated by Lack of Solutions

In a statement, Aguakan explained that the water shortage resulted from maintenance work across multiple areas of the municipality. However, residents expressed frustration, alleging that the utility cut off supply before issuing the notice.

"When we report the lack of service, they don’t provide solutions, forcing us to buy jugs of water just to meet our basic needs," said Justino Vargas, a resident of Supermanzana 250. "It’s illogical that they cut the water first and only then inform us about repairs. Even under normal conditions, access is limited—now we’ve gone 48 hours without a single drop."

Affected Areas Span Key Zones

The outage impacted neighborhoods from Supermanzana 1 to 529, as well as the Central de Abastos, Puerto Cancún, and the hotel zone of Benito Juárez. In Isla Mujeres, condominiums in Punta Sam, La Ínsula, and Playa Mujeres were also affected.

Residents reported that water supply is typically unreliable, but the maintenance has exacerbated the crisis. Some areas have been without water for three days.

"They tell us to wait for pumping schedules, sometimes in the middle of the night when we’re asleep, making it impossible to collect enough water for daily needs," said Cecilia, a local resident.

Broader Context of Water Service Disputes

The incident follows recent controversies surrounding Aguakan’s concession in Quintana Roo. Governor Mara Lezama has denounced pressure from "powerful individuals" seeking to influence the case, while President Claudia Sheinbaum has urged the Supreme Court to expedite Aguakan’s exit from the state.

The prolonged water shortages have intensified public dissatisfaction, with residents and officials alike calling for urgent reforms to the region’s water management system.