Guadalajara faces contaminated tap water crisis

Residents of the Guadalajara metropolitan area have reported tap water that is yellow or brown, foul‑smelling and turbid, affecting roughly 200 of the 2,000 neighborhoods. Complaints include skin irritation, eczema in children and stomach ailments. Jalisco health officials, including Governor Pablo Lemus, Health Secretary Héctor Pérez Gómez and COPRISJAL director José Antonio Muñoz, confirmed the contamination and said the state is deploying water trucks, provisional treatment plants and free bottled water while expanding the main water‑purification plant with a 3.5 billion‑peso investment. The government has also started works to upgrade the Miravalle plant and is seeking federal funds for a capital‑strengthening fund. Authorities advise using tap water only for cleaning and obtaining bottled or filtered water for drinking and cooking, though many households continue to rely on costly bottled supplies.

The issue has drawn attention from local officials, including Guadalajara mayor Verónica Delgadillo, who called for additional resources to improve water infrastructure. Ongoing maintenance, flushing of the network and filter distribution are part of the response, but residents report limited relief as the odor and discoloration persist despite filter use.