The Future of Water for North America: Case Study - Mexico City

Duncan Wood

Office of the William E. Simon Chair

The water problems of the Federal District and the valley of Mexico highlight many of the broader challenges facing Mexico. A lack of investment in infrastructure, a failure to plan ahead in terms of urban services, and an inability to adapt to rapidly changing conditions have meant that the people of this region are confronting a serious crisis that will only worsen as climatic conditions change and the population increases. This is the first of a number of blog entries that will look at the water problems of the Mexico City area.

Let’s begin with the demographic question. Researchers estimate that within ten years the population of the valley of Mexico will increase from its current 24 million to around 30 million people. This will mean increased need for water, with each resident of the region currently consuming approximately 307 liters of water per person, per day (compared to around 550 liters per person in the US or around 80 in China). A large part of this consumption stems from water used in daily bathing and showering (around 127 liters per person). Within the next decade, therefore, we can expect an increase of around 25 percent over current total consumption unless water use patterns change.

One way to address this problem would be to engage in a massive infrastructure investment program that simply aims at improving the current system. At present 30 percent of all water brought into the public system managed by the Sistema de Aguas de la Ciudad de Mexico (SACM) is lost through leaks and fissures in reservoirs and pipes. This is a serious challenge that will require huge amounts of money (the SACM is already anticipating investing around 900 million pesos or approximately 70 million dollars a year in this endeavor).

But it is unlikely that all leaks can be identified or fixed. Therefore there is a need for new water sources to be brought in. Plans have already been laid to bring in new supplies from the states of Mexico and Veracruz to satisfy growing demand, at a cost of over 21 billion pesos. These projects provide hope not only for water, but also of course in terms of employment and investment in needy areas.
More on this next week.
 

Wikimedia Commons photo used under the Creative Commons License