Mexico Commits MX$20 Billion to Restore Three Major Rivers

Mexico will invest more than MX$20 billion over the current administration to restore the Atoyac, Tula, and Lerma-Santiago rivers through wastewater treatment, pollution control, and water infrastructure projects aimed at improving water quality and environmental conditions.

The Mexican government will invest more than MX$20 billion (US$1.15 billion) during President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration to restore the Atoyac, Tula, and Lerma-Santiago river systems, one of the country’s largest environmental and water infrastructure initiatives. 

The program combines wastewater treatment, sewer infrastructure, industrial discharge control, riverbank restoration, and environmental monitoring to improve water quality for millions of people. The investment was announced during the federal government’s morning press conference on July 16 by President Claudia Sheinbaum, Alicia Bárcena, Minister of Environment, and Efraín Morales, Director, National Water Commission (CONAGUA).  

Long-Term Restoration Strategy

According to the federal government, the river restoration program will receive more than MX$20 billion over the six-year administration, while approximately MX$2.5 billion has already been allocated during 2025 and 2026 to launch priority projects.

The initiative focuses on three of Mexico’s most polluted watersheds:

• Atoyac River, which crosses Puebla and Tlaxcala
• Tula River, in Hidalgo
• Lerma-Santiago River, spanning the State of Mexico, Queretaro, Guanajuato, Michoacan, and Jalisco before flowing into Lake Chapala and the Santiago River

Authorities say the strategy goes beyond traditional water treatment projects by combining infrastructure investments with stricter environmental enforcement, ecosystem restoration, and coordination among federal, state, and municipal governments.  

Bárcena says the government is expanding the scope of river sanitation by addressing entire watersheds rather than limiting interventions to river channels. The approach combines conventional infrastructure with nature-based solutions, including wetlands, reforestation, ecosystem recovery, and the restoration of protected natural areas connected to the river systems.

As part of the environmental assessment, authorities have inspected or surveyed more than 340km of river corridors and collected samples at 322 sites. The government has also reviewed 3,202 industrial discharge points. The assessment identified 479 illegal garbage dumps and 460 potentially polluting industrial facilities. Of those facilities, 172 have already been inspected.

Authorities have also collected abandoned agricultural chemical and pesticide containers from river channels and surrounding areas. The findings show that river degradation is linked not only to untreated municipal sewage but also to industrial activity, improperly managed waste, agricultural pollution, and ecosystem loss.

Infrastructure, Monitoring, and Pollution Control

The program includes the rehabilitation and construction of wastewater treatment plants, sewer collectors, and drainage systems designed to reduce untreated discharges into rivers.

Federal authorities also plan to:

• Eliminate illegal wastewater discharges
• Strengthen inspections of industrial polluters
• Remove illegal dumping sites along riverbanks
• Restore riparian ecosystems through reforestation
• Expand permanent water-quality monitoring
• Coordinate sanitation projects with municipalities throughout the affected basins

Officials said these measures aim to improve both environmental conditions and public health while increasing long-term water availability for urban, industrial and agricultural users.  

Atoyac River Works Reach 85% Completion

The first phase of restoration works on the Atoyac River has reached 85% completion, according to Morales. The projects include four wastewater treatment plants and approximately 40km of collector infrastructure intended to capture wastewater before it reaches the river.

Authorities are also reforesting more than 1,100ha and regulating 371 discharge points that previously flowed into the Atoyac. The river crosses Puebla and Tlaxcala and has faced long-standing pollution from municipal sewage, industrial facilities, solid waste, and agricultural activities.

Industrial inspections and the regulation of discharge points will remain central to the project because manufacturing and urban activity have placed sustained pressure on the river’s water quality.

Tula Projects Address Pollution and Flood Risks

Work on the Tula River includes dredging, the rehabilitation of wastewater treatment plants, flood-control infrastructure, and the removal of illegal dumping sites. Authorities are also implementing measures to reduce the proliferation of Culex mosquitoes in communities along the river. The mosquito-control component reflects the public health effects associated with stagnant or heavily polluted water near populated areas.

The Tula basin has historically received large volumes of wastewater from the Valley of Mexico. Restoration work is therefore expected to require both infrastructure interventions and improved management of municipal and industrial discharges.

Flood-control projects are also a central element of the strategy, as sediment, waste accumulation, and insufficient hydraulic capacity can increase risks for nearby communities. 

The government did not provide a consolidated percentage of completion for the Tula works during the presentation, but reported advances in dredging, sanitation infrastructure, waste removal, and flood-prevention measures.

Lerma-Santiago First Phase Reaches 90%

The first stage of the Lerma-Santiago restoration program has reached 90% completion. The current works include interventions at six wastewater treatment plants and the installation of solar energy systems at another seven plants.

The renewable energy systems are intended to reduce operating costs and improve the long-term viability of treatment infrastructure, as electricity expenses can represent a significant challenge for municipal wastewater facilities. The program also includes 26km of wastewater collectors and the reforestation of more than 2,800ha.

The Lerma-Santiago system crosses several of Mexico’s most industrialized and densely populated regions before reaching Lake Chapala and continuing through the Santiago River. Its restoration requires coordination among federal, state, and municipal authorities because wastewater and industrial discharges originate across several jurisdictions.

The scale of reforestation planned for the basin is also larger than that reported for the first stage of the Atoyac project. Officials said the work will support ecosystem recovery, erosion control, water retention, and the rehabilitation of areas surrounding the river.

Building on Existing Restoration Projects

The July announcement expands work that began in 2025, when CONAGUA and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) launched coordinated restoration efforts for the three river systems. Earlier phases included technical assessments, community engagement, and the identification of priority infrastructure projects.

Throughout 2026, the government has also announced specific investments for individual rivers, including wastewater treatment facilities, sewer collectors, and pollution-control measures in the Tula and Lerma-Santiago basins as part of the broader restoration strategy.

The government estimates that restoring these river systems will benefit millions of residents by improving water quality, reducing pollution, strengthening ecosystem resilience, and supporting more sustainable water management across central Mexico.