Mexico City, a sprawling metropolis and one of the world’s largest urban centers, is facing a severe and escalating water crisis. This looming disaster, decades in the making, is driven by a complex interplay of factors, most notably human-induced climate change and unsustainable water management practices. Residents are increasingly alarmed as they grapple with daily water shortages, forcing many to take drastic measures to secure this essential resource.
For the inhabitants of Mexico City, every drop of water is precious. Many households endure days without running water, relying on purchased water deliveries, often at exorbitant prices, particularly impacting low-income communities. Bernardo Nonato Corona, a resident living in the hills surrounding Mexico City, shared with ABC News the stark reality of this situation: he spends a staggering 25% of his income simply to secure water for his family. His story is not unique; it is echoed by millions across the vast expanse of Mexico City.
Bernardo Nonato Corona, a resident of the hills surrounding Mexico City, says he spends 25% of his income on water due to the ongoing water crisis.
“Water is very necessary and is used for everything,” Corona explained, highlighting the essential role water plays in daily life. “To drink it, for the maintenance of the house, for personal use, even for the plants themselves, since it doesn’t rain and you have to water them because it uses up a lot.” This underscores the pervasive impact of the water scarcity, affecting not just basic human needs but also the ability to maintain homes and even cultivate small gardens.
The dwindling rainfall over recent months, and potentially years, has brought the crisis to a head. Mexico City’s watershed is experiencing a significant deficit, making the effects of the water shortage increasingly visible. For the first time, widespread public concern is mounting, with many openly questioning if the city is on the brink of a complete water collapse.
A significant portion of Mexico City’s water supply, between 60% and 70%, is drawn from underground aquifers – geological formations that store groundwater, according to the city’s water authority. Alarmingly, a recent study revealed that the city has been pumping out the equivalent of 5 million Olympic-sized swimming pools of groundwater annually for the last decade. This unsustainable extraction rate is rapidly depleting these vital reserves.
Compounding the problem, Mexico City increasingly relies on rainfall to replenish its reservoirs and groundwater. However, the region is currently gripped by a historic drought, intensified by human-caused climate change, casting serious doubt on the reliability of future rainy seasons. Experts warn that a long, consistent rainy season, once a predictable pattern, is no longer guaranteed.
Enrique Lomnitz, the founder of Isla Urbana, an organization dedicated to addressing Mexico City’s water challenges, returned to his native city after studying in the United States with a mission to find solutions. He and his organization are actively working to mitigate the impact of the water crisis and prevent a complete water loss for Mexico City.
“So the reservoirs are basically empty,” Lomnitz stated, painting a stark picture of the city’s water storage capacity. “That’s 30, 40% of the city’s water that we’re no longer getting or we’re getting like a, like a trickle where we used to have a stream. So we’re not recharging our aquifers. We’re pumping an enormous, crazy amount of water out of the ground, because there’s 22 million people over here. And that is the basis of the problem.” Lomitz points directly to the unsustainable rate of extraction to support the city’s massive population as a core driver of the crisis.
Adding to the city’s water woes is decades of underinvestment in its water infrastructure. A staggering 40% of the water pumped through Mexico City’s aging pipes is lost due to leaks, seeping back into the ground before reaching its intended users. Paradoxically, during periods of heavy rainfall, the city is forced to pump out billions of gallons of water to prevent flooding – water that, with proper infrastructure, could be captured, treated, and recycled to augment the dwindling supply.
Despite repeated requests, Mexico City’s water system representatives have not provided comments to ABC News regarding the ongoing crisis and the city’s plans to address it.
The political dimension of the crisis was highlighted during a public event on May 5, 2024, where Mexico’s president-elect and former mayor of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum, addressed the issue. She stated, “No scientist, because there is still no science that can do that, could predict this circumstance,” suggesting the water crisis was unforeseen and unpredictable.
However, this statement contradicts scientific consensus, as experts maintain that droughts are indeed predictable and that proactive planning and mitigation strategies are not only possible but crucial. While Sheinbaum also stated at the same event, “We already know where the water is going to come from, how to invest, it is going to be the great investment that we are going to make in the metropolitan area of the Valley of Mexico,” details of these plans and investments remain unclear. Requests for clarification from the Sheinbaum campaign have gone unanswered.
As climate change intensifies, bringing more extreme heat waves and prolonged droughts, the future for Mexico City and its residents hangs in the balance. For individuals like Bernardo Corona and millions of others, the stakes are incredibly high.
“We don’t think about our children, that if tomorrow, the way we are going, water will be more expensive and there will be more water shortages,” Corona lamented, expressing deep concern for future generations. “So if we don’t give a solution to the water issue, I don’t know what will happen tomorrow with our children, our grandchildren.”
To navigate this existential threat, Mexico City must urgently prioritize more efficient and sustainable water management practices to better prepare for future droughts and the escalating impacts of climate change. Addressing the combination of historic drought, climate change exacerbation, record heat, and failing infrastructure is paramount to securing the city’s water future.
Despite the severity of the situation, Enrique Lomnitz offers a glimmer of hope, stating, “I think it’s an existential crisis for the city, but I think that people are incredibly adaptive. I think people are very resilient. I think Mexico City’s resilient. Mexico City’s been through a whole lot of things. It’s not over.” This resilience will be crucial as Mexico City confronts and seeks to overcome its critical water crisis.
