By THE PULSE NEWS STAFF

Just in time for Halloween (and the two-day Day of the Dead holiday), Mexico’s National Water Commission (Conagua) is giving roughly half of Mexico City residents and a large share of State of Mexico (Edoméx) residents anything but a “treat” in the form of a massive water service cutoff starting Wednesday, Oct. 31 at 8 a.m.

As people across the city and nearby municipalities in Edoméx scramble to fill up tubs and other receptacles with potable water for cooking, bathing and other basic needs, Conagua has warned that more than 50 percent of the nation’s capital and parts of the State of Mexico will suffer water shortages and cutoffs for at least five days.

Conagua has said that the suspension will officially last through Sunday, Nov. 4, in order to conduct maintenance operations at its Cutzamala treatment plant, which supplies drinking water to most of the Mexican capital and surrounding areas.

Notwithstanding, in a press release issued late Tuesday, Oct. 30, Conagua said that most areas of the city will continue to have some water service on Oct. 31 through to about 12 noon since the city’s reserve depository tanks are full.

But by the afternoon, water service will be suspended for most residents in the affected areas.

The city government has said that it will supply private truckloads of water to schools, hospitals, retirement homes, communal kitchens, markets and prisons on an as-needed basis.

Most public and private schools will be closed during the water cutoff period.

Maintenance work on the Cutzamala treatment plant is expected to be completed by Nov. 5 or 6, and partial service should resume at that time.

Conagua said that it expects to have full service restored by Nov. 7.