A business leader said those who sued the state for the improper charge of due water fees had prevailed in court.

Mexicali’s Entrepreneurial Confederation President Octavio Sandoval said 16 plaintiffs who sued the state Public Utilities Commission had been able to recover about 45 million pesos or over $2 million.

Overall, 216 lawsuits had been filed against the agency, Sandoval said.

Under the administration of now former Governor Jaime Bonilla the state signed a contract with a private company named Fisamex that audited past water fees paid and determined if businesses owed to the state.

According to Sandoval, such a contract was not legally founded. The business leader asked state authorities to report where the collected fees ended up.