Does EMPAGUA guarantee supply to a large new plant? Is piped water expensive in Guatemala?

It does not guarantee it. The Public Water Service Regulation (Agreement COM-56-2023 of the Guatemala City Municipal Council, published in the Diario de Centro América on Dec 21, 2023) states in art. 1 that the service is provided 'according to EMPAGUA's availability, as a function of infrastructure and the availability of the water resource', with metered or unmetered service and categories set by the classification of the property (art. 1 verified on Aug 22, 2026). Piped water is cheap in regional terms (Q4-14/m³, roughly US$0.5-1.8/m³), but EMPAGUA does not assure feasibility for large new demands; that is why every large plant is designed around its own well plus storage.