Argentina court orders AySA to maintain water services in 26 Buenos Aires municipalities

Argentina's Contencioso Administrativo Court No. 2 in La Plata granted a precautionary injunction requested by the Buenos Aires Ombudsman. The ruling bars Agua y Saneamientos Argentinos (AySA) from cutting investments, postponing critical works, or relaxing water‑quality controls, ensuring that residents of 26 municipalities retain full access to potable water and sanitation. The non‑innovation injunction obliges AySA to keep all operational and infrastructure commitments unchanged.

The measure follows a preventive lawsuit filed amid a restructuring and privatization process for AySA. After a new contractual scheme was signed in May 2026, the national Ministry of Economy announced a public tender to sell 90% of AySA’s shares to a strategic operator. The Ombudsman's office, led by Guido Lorenzino, warned that the proposed design could lower regulatory requirements and defer previously assumed commitments, prompting the court action to protect the province’s water resources and prevent environmental harm.