Land and Water

In highly developed countries, potable water piped into a home is almost taken for granted.  When you buy a house in Phoenix, for example, you’d expect drinking water to flow into the property’s pipes without any second thoughts about the matter.

When you’re buying property in Mexico, whether it’s a pre-built home or land upon which you intend to build your dream home, it’s vital to know exactly what the water supply arrangements are, because it may not be as straightforward as you might expect.

Land (or property) without a reliable water source has very little value, so it’s especially important to check this matter on your deeds and covenants before you agree to the purchase.

In Mexico’s well established towns and cities, water is most usually piped directly to the property from the water mains, routed through a water meter by which you pay according to your consumption.  Mains water is relatively inexpensive and, although it is usually fine for washing, bathing and cooking, it may not be directly potable.

The issue about whether water from the tap in Mexico is potable is a moot one: some say it is, others say it is not.  It probably depends upon where the property is situated and whether your digestive system is ‘accustomed’ to any local bacteria which may become present in the liquid between the reservoir and your home.  In any event, most expats living in Mexico filter their mains water, or buy bottled water for personal consumption.

If the property you are planning to buy is not served by a mains water supply, then you must firmly establish what water supply arrangements are in place.  If the property’s water is sourced from a local well, you’ll need to find out who owns the well, and what legal and contractual arrangements exist which allow the property to take from that well.

Don’t take anyone’s word or hear-say about this matter.  The water source should be clearly stipulated on the deeds or related covenant and this should be checked and verified by the Notary Public dealing with your property transaction.  If there is any doubt about the property’s water supply then you should consider carefully whether or not to purchase it – however attractive the location or home may be to you.

You might be able to get a property served by the town’s mains water supply, if it is not already.  This procedure can be time-consuming and expensive.  You should consult with a good local architect about the possibility as well as your lawyer and Notary Public.

Modern Realty Developments in Mexico are served by all utilities – including water.  If the water is sourced from a well, a good developer will have made sound legal arrangements for the development to be properly served by that water source.  Once again, ask your Notary Public to check this detail.

Some realty developments, like Estrella del Mar near Mazatlan, have a contractual lease with the local government to source water from wells at the foot of the Sierra Madre mountains; and they have gone a step further: they have installed a state-of-the-art water purification plant at the development, so that all properties at Estrella del Mar enjoy potable water which has been sourced from a natural well and then undergone a five-stage filtration procedure.   When you buy a home there, the water which flows out of your taps exceeds US health standard requirements for potable water.

Elsewhere, people often install filtration systems for water being delivered to the kitchen tap, so that all drinking and cooking water is sound.   In areas where the water is very hard, homeowners may also install a water softening unit, which filters and softens all of the water entering the house.

Read our extensive guides to Mexican Real Estate, which include guide to Buying Property in Mexico, Eco Homes in Mexico, House Maintenance and Home Security.   You can also find extensive advice about buying a home from a Property Developer in Mexico.