Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, August 18, 2026 — Regular water service is expected to return Wednesday in the 142 northern Puerto Vallarta neighborhoods affected by last week’s pipeline work, potentially closing a disruption that lasted a full week and extended well beyond SEAPAL’s original recovery schedule.
Carlos Manzano, SEAPAL Vallarta’s director of studies and projects, said seven of eight pipeline connection points had been completed by Tuesday. Crews worked through the night on the remaining connection, which must pass operating tests before the network can be fully repressurized.
Gradual normalization could begin Tuesday afternoon if those tests are successful. Homes and businesses are expected to have regular service Wednesday, although water may return at different times as storage tanks refill and pressure moves through the distribution network.
The shutdown began at 6 a.m. Wednesday, August 12, when the Puerto Vallarta–Las Varas highway concessionaire started connecting relocated water lines near the new highway. The work affected approximately 40 percent of the city, including neighborhoods between Las Juntas and the Luis Donaldo Colosio bypass, Ixtapa subdivisions and large sections of El Pitillal.
Under SEAPAL’s original restoration plan, 80 neighborhoods were expected to begin receiving water Friday, followed by 52 neighborhoods Saturday and the 10 highest neighborhoods in El Pitillal on Sunday. That schedule slipped as the contractor encountered technical complications.
The final phase has required work nearly five meters below ground in muddy conditions. SEAPAL said Monday that the highway concessionaire had missed the scheduled completion time, prompting another extension of the outage.
The latest timetable replaces the phased recovery dates outlined when PVDN first reported the 142-neighborhood shutdown and the subsequent 36-hour delay announced last week.
SEAPAL cautioned that some households may initially receive cloudy water. The agency has been moving water into affected sectors from other parts of the network, which can disturb sediment inside pipelines as flow direction and pressure change.
Free tanker deliveries will continue while the remaining work and system recovery are completed. Requests can be made through SEAPAL at 322 226 9191. Hospitals and neighborhoods in the highest sections of El Pitillal have received priority during the contingency.
Anyone still without service after the announced normalization can file a report through SEAPAL’s customer service channels by dialing 073 or 322 226 9191. Reports are also accepted through WhatsApp at 322 105 8226.
