The Prisciliano Sánchez sinkhole near Avenida México is expected to take at least 10 more days to repair. The delay follows the collapse of part of the Colector Centro-Norte sewer line, SEAPAL director Carlos Ruiz said.
The work zone is located near the crossing of Avenida Prisciliano Sánchez and Avenida México, around El Capricho and Las Moras. Traffic restrictions remain while crews replace the failed sewer section and build a new protective box around the collector.
The failure has also been linked to wastewater overflows in Versalles. The neighborhood sits in a lower part of the city, so the backed-up flow found an outlet there. SEAPAL said crews have continued cleanup and sanitation work to reduce odors and health risks.
Repair work now goes beyond the first estimate
SEAPAL initially said the damage could be repaired within 72 hours. That estimate came after inspections found a collapsed pipe on Avenida México between El Capricho and Las Moras. The agency also announced temporary traffic changes on Prisciliano Sánchez and Avenida México.
By Monday, SEAPAL said the collector had been stabilized. The agency said the sanitary system was “operating normally” while reconstruction continued. It also said the main 24-inch drinking-water line inside the excavation zone had been protected, allowing water service to continue.
Ruiz later said the emergency work had moved into a third stage. Crews are now preparing to replace the collapsed section of pipe and build a new structure to protect the line.
Aging sewer network raises wider risk
What began as a sinkhole repair is now exposing a larger weakness in Puerto Vallarta’s sewer system. Ruiz said the failed pipe is more than 50 years old, and more than 80 percent of the Colector Centro-Norte is already in poor condition.
The collector carries a major share of the city’s wastewater. In one update, SEAPAL described it as the “backbone of Puerto Vallarta’s sanitary system.”
Earlier coverage of the Prisciliano Sánchez repair target and Puerto Vallarta drainage strain pointed to the same problem. Older infrastructure is being pushed harder as the city grows.
SEAPAL has asked drivers and pedestrians to use caution near the work zone. It also asked people to follow temporary signage and consider other routes. Ruiz urged people not to throw trash into the streets or drains.
He said restaurants and other businesses should maintain grease traps, since grease and debris can worsen sewer blockages.
The longer-term concern is that SEAPAL is now publicly warning that similar failures could occur elsewhere if the Colector Centro-Norte rehabilitation does not continue.
