News

SEMARNAT: Draft amendment to NOM-001-CONAGUA-2011 applicable to drinking water, household service connections and sanitary sewer systems

28 May 2026

Key takeaways

On May 14, 2026, SEMARNAT published in the Federal Official Gazette the “Draft Amendment to NOM-001-CONAGUA-2011, regarding drinking water systems, household service connections and sanitary sewer systems.”

The Draft seeks to update the technical specifications, testing methods and installation, operation and maintenance conditions applicable to these systems.

If published, the amendment would be relevant for water utilities, public entities, contractors and parties responsible for hydraulic infrastructure.

One of the main focuses of the Draft is to strengthen the watertightness of networks in order to prevent leaks, infiltration, operational failures and impacts on water quality.

The “Draft Amendment to Mexican Official Standard NOM-001-CONAGUA-2011, Drinking water systems, household service connections and sanitary sewer systems, watertightness, specifications and testing methods” (“Draft”) aims to update the technical framework applicable to drinking water systems, household service connections and sanitary sewer systems in Mexico.

The amendment is particularly relevant for water utilities and entities responsible for providing drinking water, drainage and sanitation services, as it establishes technical requirements related to the watertightness, installation, operation, maintenance and conformity assessment of hydraulic systems.

In this regard, the Draft could have implications for new infrastructure projects, as well as for rehabilitation, maintenance, procurement of materials, contracting of services and technical compliance verification processes.

The Draft maintains as its main objective ensuring that drinking water systems, household service connections and sanitary sewer systems are watertight, functional and suitable throughout their useful life.

To this end, it establishes specifications applicable to the products that make up these systems, including pipes, valves, fittings, joints, accessories and other components used in hydraulic infrastructure. Such elements must comply with the corresponding Mexican standards or, where applicable, with relevant international or foreign standards.

From an operational and compliance perspective, the Draft is relevant not only for manufacturers, importers and marketers, but also for those responsible for the design, construction, installation, operation and maintenance of the systems, as well as for entities that manage and provide drinking water and sewer services.

One of the most relevant points is the strengthening of the Conformity Assessment Procedure, which could imply a greater need to have certificates, opinions, test reports, technical documentation and the participation of certification bodies, laboratories or inspection/verification units.

The Draft also incorporates provisions related to water quality, particularly with respect to materials that come into contact with drinking water, with the purpose of preventing such materials from contributing contaminants or affecting the quality of the water being conveyed.

The Draft was published on May 14, 2026 and will be subject to a 60-calendar-day public consultation period. Therefore, comments may be submitted until July 13, 2026.

Finally, the Draft clarifies that it does not regulate stormwater sewer systems, as its requirements are not suitable for stormwater applications. This distinction will be relevant when assessing projects, works, contracts or infrastructure involving sanitary and stormwater components.

Authored by Mauricio Llamas and Mauricio Villegas.