Jalisco community groups demand transparency on Chapala-Guadalajara aqueduct

Civil organizations and communities from the Lerma-Chapala-Santiago basin are calling on the Jalisco Congress to open a ‘Parlamento Abierto’ (Open Parliament) to review the proposed Chapala-Guadalajara substitute aqueduct project. Activists are demanding full transparency regarding the project's financial and environmental implications before long-term public resources are committed.

Representatives, including Marco Llamas of the Frente de Pueblos Unidos de la Ribera de Chapala, warned that the project could involve financial commitments of up to 48,296 million pesos over 25 years under a CMRO contracting scheme. The groups are requesting the publication of cost-benefit studies and a review of the contracting model to ensure water management remains under public control.

In addition to questioning the aqueduct, the collectives proposed alternative solutions to the water crisis, such as rehabilitating distribution networks, reducing leaks, and improving sanitation and water reuse. They also emphasized the need for ecosystem recovery, including the restoration of Lake Chapala, rivers, wetlands, and aquifers.