Legal mechanisms to enforce compliance with regulations on wastewater discharges in Mexico: An evaluation for Baja California Sur

In the comprehensive management strategy for water resources in Mexico, wastewater has received little attention. Despite the extensive sewage regulations and its relevance for the quality and availability of water for human consumption; the control on wastewater discharge, its safe reuse, and pollution prevention is a pending task. This evidences the relevance of evaluating the effectiveness of regulations on wastewater discharge in the country, especially in regions with water stress where the human right to water and a healthy environment is compromised. Thus, in the case study of Baja California Sur, the sources of that regulation were identified, ranked, and characterized, and administrative acts of control were analyzed; such as the frequency of surveillance, inspection, corrective measures, sanctions imposed, and complaints filed from 2009 to 2018 in this region. The results show that the problem lies with administrative and institutional deficiencies to enforce compliance by the authority, rather than an ineffective legal framework, and with the lack of a public policy for the enforcement of regulations regarding wastewater discharges. Therefore, it is necessary that the authorities of the three levels of government evaluate and coordinate their strategies and orient them towards national and international objectives.