The thirst of a capital city with 22 million inhabitants.

Mexico City, one of the world's most populous cities, is facing a severe water crisis.

Alejandro Gomez has been without running water for over three months, often only managing to collect one or two buckets for a few hours before losing it for days at a time. Gomez, who lives in the Tlalpan district of Mexico City, Mexico, doesn't have a large water storage tank and therefore can't get water from trucks. Instead, he and his family find ways to conserve and store water. Whenever they shower, they collect the shower water to use for rinsing.

"We need water; water is essential for everything," he said.

Residents collect water from trucks in the Azcapotzalco neighborhood of Mexico City on January 26. Photo: Reuters

Water shortages aren't uncommon in the neighborhood, but this time it's different. "Now that it's hot, things could be even more serious and complicated," Gomez said.

Mexico City, a sprawling metropolis with nearly 22 million inhabitants, is facing a severe water crisis stemming from a range of issues including its geography, unplanned urban development, poor infrastructure, and the impacts of climate change.

Years of unusually low rainfall, prolonged dry seasons, and intense heat have added further pressure to a water system already struggling to meet the growing demands of the population. Authorities have been forced to restrict water extraction from reservoirs.

"Some neighboring areas have been without water for weeks, and the rainy season is still four months away," said Christian Domínguez Sarmiento, an atmospheric scientist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

Politicians are trying to allay public anxieties about the crisis, but some experts say the situation is very serious and Mexico City could run out of water in some areas in the coming months.

Mexico City sits atop what was once a lakebed. Built on clay soil, the city is sinking and is vulnerable to earthquakes and climate change. It's not an ideal location for a large modern metropolis.

Wetlands and rivers have been replaced by concrete and asphalt. During the rainy season, the city floods, while in the dry season, the land is barren.

Approximately 60% of Mexico City's water supply comes from the aquifer, but overexploitation of this resource has accelerated the city's subsidence at an alarming rate, exceeding 50 cm per year. The rate of aquifer replenishment is insufficient, as rainwater runs off the city's hard, impermeable surfaces instead of seeping into the ground.

The remaining drinking water is drawn from external sources. This process is inefficient, resulting in a 40% water loss. The Cutzamala Water System, a network of reservoirs, pumping stations, canals, and tunnels, supplies about 25% of the drinking water for the Valley of Mexico, an area that includes Mexico City. But severe droughts have affected this water source. Currently, the network is only at 39% capacity, the lowest level in history.

A farmer points toward the Zumpango Lagoon, a drought-stricken area in the Valley of Mexico, on February 21. Photo: Reuters

In October 2023, Mexico's national water commission (Conagua) announced it would reduce the amount of water drawn from Cutzamala by 8%, "to ensure the supply of drinking water for the population in the event of a severe drought."

Just weeks later, authorities tightened restrictions, reducing the amount of water drawn from the system by nearly 25% due to weather conditions. "We will take the necessary measures to distribute the water that Cutzamala has, to ensure that it does not run out," said Germán Arturo Martínez Santoyo, director general of Conagua.

A report this month indicates that approximately 60% of Mexico is experiencing moderate to severe drought. Nearly 90% of Mexico City is experiencing severe drought, and the situation is expected to worsen as the rainy season is still several months away.

"We are in the middle of the dry season, and temperatures will rise and last until April or May," said June Garcia-Becerra, associate professor of engineering at the University of Northern British Columbia.

Weather phenomena have severely impacted Mexico. Three years of La Nina have caused droughts in the region, while last year's El Nino brought a short rainy season that was insufficient to replenish reservoirs.

The ongoing global warming trend, driven by human activity, continues, resulting in longer dry seasons and more intense heat. "Climate change is making droughts more severe due to water scarcity," Sarmiento said. High temperatures are also causing water in the Cutzamala system to evaporate.

A severe, widespread heatwave last summer killed at least 200 people in Mexico. According to a scientific report, such heatwaves would be "almost impossible" without climate change. The impact of climate change is adding to the city's already precarious situation, where the water system cannot keep pace with the population growth.

The crisis sparked heated debate over whether the city would one day run out of water, as the Cutzamala system fell to such low levels that it could no longer supply the city.

Local media reported in early February that a Congogua official said that without heavy rain, the "day of drought" could arrive as early as June 26. However, the authorities have pledged that this day will not come.

At a press conference on February 14, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador stated that the government was addressing the water issue. Mexico City Mayor Martí Batres Guadarrama declared that information about a "water shortage day" was false, spread by the opposing faction.

Conagua declined interview requests and did not answer specific questions about "the day the water runs out." However, many experts are warning of a crisis spiraling out of control.

"Mexico City could run out of water before the monsoon season if it continues to use water in the way it is now," warned Sosa-Rodríguez.

This doesn't mean the water supply system will completely collapse because the city doesn't depend on just one source. Mexico City won't be in the same situation as Cape Town in South Africa, which nearly ran out of water in 2018 after a severe drought that lasted for years.

"Some groups of people still have access to water," she said, "but the majority do not."

Raúl Rodríguez Márquez, president of the non-profit Water Advisory Council, believes the city will not run out of water this year but warns that it will happen if no action is taken.

"We are in a critical situation and could face extreme circumstances in the next few months," he said.

For nearly 10 years, Sosa-Rodríguez has consistently warned authorities about the risk of water depletion in Mexico City. She argues that solutions include better wastewater treatment to increase water availability and reduce pollution, and investing in rainwater harvesting and treatment systems to reduce residents' reliance on the water grid and water trucks by 30%.

Repairing leaky pipelines will help the system operate more efficiently, reducing the amount of water that needs to be extracted from aquifers. Nature-based solutions, such as reviving rivers and wetlands, will help provide water retention and filtration systems, while also achieving greening and cooling benefits for the city.

In a statement on its website, Conagua said it is undertaking a three-year project to install, develop, and improve water infrastructure to help the city cope with the deterioration of the Cutzamala system, including adding new wells and operating water treatment plants.

Mexico City skyline between skyscrapers along Refoma Avenue, May 24, 2023. Photo: Reuters

But at this time, tensions are rising as people in some areas are living without water, while those in other areas, often wealthier neighborhoods, are largely unaffected.

"There is clearly inequality in access to water in the city, and this is related to people's incomes," Sosa-Rodríguez said. The day of water scarcity may not have happened across Mexico City yet, but some neighborhoods have been facing it for years.

Amanda Martínez, a resident of the Tlalpan district, said that for people here, water shortages are nothing new. She and her family often have to pay over $100 for a water tank bought from a truck. But the situation is getting worse. Sometimes the neighborhood is without water for one or two weeks, and one day, it could run out completely.

"I don't think anyone was prepared for that situation," she said.

Hong Hanh (According to) CNN

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