Playa del Carmen Reaffirms Closure of Construction Site That Dumped Sewage Into Sea

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Authorities in Playa del Carmen have reaffirmed the closure of a construction site on the Xcalacoco coast after workers were caught dumping sewage into the sea. New suspension seals were placed Monday night after the previous ones were torn off.

The initial seals were installed on April 26 following a statement by Mayor Estefanía Mercado Asencio, who called the incident serious. However, by Monday, the seals had been removed and construction resumed normally. Officials placed new seals that same evening.

The site is located on Xcalacoco Avenue, adjacent to The Fives hotel, an area dense with hotels and real estate developments.

The incident came to light early Sunday after a widely circulated video on social media showed a person on the property using a hose to discharge sewage that flowed into the sea.

A local government source confirmed that a citizen complaint has been filed with the Federal Attorney’s Office for Environmental Protection (Profepa) over potential damage to the coastal ecosystem.

A review of the Quintana Roo Public Property and Commerce Registry on Tuesday found no evidence that the property belongs to any of the commercial entities representing The Fives hotel, such as Sierra de Bernia or Promociones Timanfaya, despite speculation on social media.

Local officials said further details would be released later.