Only 44% of the 494 kilometers of sewer piping under Ciudad Juarez is operating without any problems, according to the City Board of Water and Sanitation (Junta Municipal de Agua y Saneamiento, JMAS). Of the rest, 19.57% of it is considered slightly corroded, 9.78% is in bad condition, 11.98% is in severe condition (including sections where the pipe is completely missing), and 14.67% is partially or totally obstructed. In kilometers, 250 kilometers of the system is considered in bad condition, 23 kilometers are in danger of collapse and 61 kilometers need repair.
Between the corrosion problems and the age of much of the system, the system has suffered a number of collapses after heavy rains, resulting in cave-ins of city streets. One of the theories the City Board has offered for much of the corrosion of the underground pipe system is the possibility that maquilas have been disposing of corrosive chemicals through the sewer system. Another potential cause of the deterioration is from heavy commercial trucks driving over the system.
The Water and Sanitation Board is trying to raise rates to pay for repairs. The most problematic part is the cost involved in fixing the piping that is in extremely bad condition, a total of 250 kilometers. The Treasury department for JMAS, said the tariffs will be raised between 20 and 25%, mostly due to the recent raise in the electric service and the fixing of wells.
Source: El Norte