Mexico City Announces Plan to Tackle Water Shortage

Mexico City, the State government of Mexico and Mexico’s National Water Commission (Conagua) have announced a plan to guarantee the provision of water as the country experiences drought. The plan, called “Integral Plan for the Provision of Freshwater to the Metropolitan Area of the Mexico Valley” (Plan Integral de Abastecimiento de Agua Potable para la Zona Metropolitana del Valle de México) will invest US$ 1.25mn in an effort to counter water shortages.

The funds will be allocated to the rehabilitation of dams, lakes and water treatment plants to improve the water supply in Mexico City as well as the State of Mexico.

The region has seen a reduction in water supply due to the water scarcity being felt in the country. Claudia Sheinbaum, head of government of Mexico City, said: “Up until 2019 we were getting just under 9.5 cubic metres per second and, since then, we have been reducing the amount of water coming through the Cutzamala [the water system which supplies the city]. For some months we have been getting 8 cubic metres and a little bit more when there’s more rain. But for the time being, we are being cautious.”

Sheinbaum said that the city congress intended to pass a new Hydric Law and a new law was in the works to ensure that the Cutzamala System remained public and decentralised under the control of Sacmex, City of Mexico’s Water System. It was also announced that there was going to be a crackdown on big water consumers and clandestine consumers.