Emergency Design-Build Pipeline “Acueducto Morelos” City of Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico

The City of Ensenada is located south of San Diego, approximately 75 mi from the international border, and has been a retirement community and summer retreat community. The city is also a tourist gateway into the wine country of Baja California. Its population of 350,000 doubles during the high season in the summer months. In August 2022, two significant breaks occurred in the main waterline to the town. These breaks caused the town to be without water for eight days. Following repair, additional breaks occurred, and it was established that there was significant corrosion along the entire 77 km alignment. Most of the breaks occurred in a 2-km stretch which was the high-pressure segment of the aqueduct. The governor of Baja California declared an emergency and directed the state director of public works to devise a replacement for the aqueduct. Recognizing the emergency, it was determined to go with a design-build of the 30 in. aqueduct. Constructora Makro (“Makro”) was awarded the Design-Build contract, and within eight weeks, the 2-km section was designed, pipe manufactured, and construction began. This was a great example of bi-national cooperation between businesses in the United States and Mexico.