The Hidalgo state government and the Intermunicipal Systems Water and Sewerage Commission (Caasim) closed approximately 15,000 illegal water connections over four years [1].
These measures aim to combat water theft and illegal extraction that destabilize the water supply across the region. By removing clandestine taps, authorities intend to ensure that legal users receive consistent service and that the state can better manage its dwindling hydraulic resources.
The crackdown focused heavily on the capital, Pachuca, and 14 municipalities under the jurisdiction of Caasim [2, 3]. In a recent three-month window, Caasim reported closing 1,182 illegal connections [4].
Legal actions have followed the physical closures. State officials said they initiated 200 complaints for water theft [1]. However, other reports indicate a higher volume of legal activity in the state, with Vanguardia recording 1,792 complaints related to clandestine connections in Hidalgo [3].
Water theft remains a systemic issue across Mexico. According to data from Vanguardia, five states account for 61% of all complaints regarding clandestine connections nationwide [3]. This concentration suggests that regional infrastructure vulnerabilities are being exploited on a large scale, creating significant losses for municipal utilities.
The coordinated effort between the state government and Caasim represents a shift toward stricter enforcement of water laws. Authorities have prioritized the identification of these taps to prevent the depletion of aquifers and the collapse of pressure in the public distribution network [1].
“Hidalgo closed approximately 15,000 illegal water connections over four years.”
The discrepancy between the 200 complaints cited by state officials and the 1,792 reported by other sources suggests a gap between the filing of formal criminal charges and the broader registration of administrative complaints. This scale of illegal extraction highlights the precarious state of water security in Hidalgo, where systemic theft necessitates aggressive enforcement to prevent total supply failure in urban centers like Pachuca.
