Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, July 11, 2026 — SEAPAL Vallarta and the Federal Electricity Commission have agreed to restart preventive tree trimming near electrical lines that supply key wells and pumping stations, targeting a vulnerability that has already caused broad water problems this year.
The work will concentrate on electrical routes serving the Pozo Radial area near the Ameca River and infrastructure around Playa Grande, SEAPAL said in its July 10 announcement. The two agencies also established direct communication and priority handling when a power failure interrupts drinking-water production, wastewater pumping, or other sanitation infrastructure.
The agreement addresses a chain reaction that is easy to miss when a neighborhood first loses water. Much of Puerto Vallarta’s supply depends on electrically powered wells and pumps. A failure at a major production site can stop water from entering the network, drain storage tanks, and cause pressure to return unevenly even after electricity is restored.
That sequence played out in April during Semana Santa. An electrical failure near Pozo Radial was followed by problems at Wells 37, 38, and 39. SEAPAL said the loss of production emptied major tanks and caused low pressure or intermittent service across upper El Pitillal, parts of Ixtapa and Las Juntas, and the hotel zone. VallartaDaily reported how the well failure spread through the wider system, with higher areas among the last to recover.
SEAPAL estimated at the time that only about 30 percent of homes in the municipality had a tinaco, cistern, or similar storage. That left many households exposed during a disruption that continued after the electrical problem itself had been addressed, because pumps had to restart and tank levels had to rebuild.
The new arrangement focuses on preventing line faults and shortening response time rather than on adding independent backup power. Branches near energized lines can trigger short circuits during heavy rain and wind. Trimming around the circuits feeding major water facilities may lower that risk, while priority status could reduce the time a damaged circuit remains out of service.
SEAPAL said that similar coordination in 2025 reduced water interruptions caused by electrical failures. The agency did not publish figures showing how many outages were avoided, how much service time was preserved, or which circuits had been treated.
No trimming calendar, neighborhood map, or planned shutoff has been announced. SEAPAL also did not disclose whether the affected wells and pumping stations have generators capable of maintaining full operation during an extended outage. The July 10 notice describes vegetation control and faster coordination with CFE, not a new backup energy system.
The preventive work begins as SEAPAL reports stronger overall continuity. The utility said water coverage remained close to 97 percent during June, with continuous 24-hour service in more than 350 colonias and developments. That citywide figure still stands alongside recent examples showing how a single electrical failure at a major production site can affect distant neighborhoods and require a gradual recovery.
There is no current water interruption tied to the new agreement. Customers who experience a loss of pressure or spot a leak can use SEAPAL’s service reporting page, dial 073, or send a WhatsApp message to 322 105 8226.
