Carlos Alberto Ruiz Hernández, general director of Puerto Vallarta’s Water, Drainage, and Sewerage System (Seapal), acknowledged that it remains unclear whether formal charges have been filed against former directors of the agency. The accusations—first raised at the start of his administration—include alleged embezzlement, mismanagement, and other irregularities that contributed to severe water shortages in the city.

“There are currently only 8 million pesos in Seapal’s accounts and 201 million pesos in outstanding debt—an unprecedented situation in the history of the agency,” said Ruiz. He added that key financial obligations, such as compliance with Chapter 1000 (relating to staff compensation), were not accounted for, forcing Seapal to seek a 33 million peso loan from the municipal government to cover employee bonuses.

While Ruiz confirmed that legal and auditing teams are actively working on the case, he offered no timeline or details regarding individuals who may be held accountable. “I’ll send you more information soon on the progress of these processes and the names of those being identified for administrative misconduct,” he said.

River Screening and Environmental Impact

Ruiz also addressed the long-standing issue of riverbed screening—activities that involve the extraction of rocky material from the Mascota and Ameca rivers. He admitted that these operations are disrupting water extraction and causing sedimentation problems in Seapal’s radial well, which has reduced water supply.

“These works affect river channeling and the performance of the radial well. We’re seeing less and less water and increased sedimentation because of upstream screening operations,” Ruiz said. “These are difficult problems to resolve, which is why we’re exploring alternatives like infrastructure upgrades and new investments to improve well performance and water output.”

Jurisdiction and Regulation

When asked about Seapal’s ability to intervene legally, Ruiz clarified that regulation of river screening falls under federal authority.

“I don’t know the legal status of these companies, but I assume they operate under federal permits. Agencies like Semarnat and Profepa are responsible for issuing those permits. Seapal is a public utility focused on providing water and sanitation services—we’re not sure what legal standing we have in these matters. It’s up to the federal government to enforce regulations on these practices,” he concluded.

For now, Seapal continues to manage ongoing water shortages while pursuing both legal accountability and technical solutions to restore and improve the city’s water supply.