Mexico Needs US$3.9 Billion To Prevent Water Crisis

Amid a mounting global water crisis, Mexico needs to develop appropriate infrastructure to assure the water supply for its population and industry. In this context, some experts think that the country should invest over US$3.9 billion annually for at least 50 years, aiming to maintain current water infrastructure, develop new features and avoid reaching the drastic situation that Nuevo Leon currently faces.

During the presentation of an analysis called Water Perspectives in Mexico: Toward Water Security, Eduardo Vázquez, Executive Director, Agua Capital, said that over the past 15 years, federal legislators have reduced water-related budgets, which generated a lag in the national water infrastructure. “We have to acknowledge that this issue has not started during this administration, it has been plummeting during past administrations and the level of priority for this agenda has been decreasing,” Vázquez added. 

Váquez stated that the government should not and cannot rely on possible hurricane seasons to fill the country’s dams. He added that at least US$3.9 billion a year for the next 50 years will be needed to ensure the water supply in Mexico. Fernando González, Director, UNESCO’s  Regional Center for Water Security, promised that he will urge federal deputies to increase the water sector’s budget during the meeting he will have with them to present the document.

González added that these resources must be used firstly to revamp the current infrastructure and in the secondly to develop new infrastructure with the aim to make the current water systems more resilient to extraordinary scenarios like a drought.

According to González, both adequate infrastructure and efficient public policies regarding the use of water are essential. He warned that if the US$3.9 billion are not invested, scenarios like water shortages in Nuevo Leon could also happen in other parts of the country.

According to the National System for Water Information (SINA), the Chamber of Deputies approved a budget of US$1.6 billion for 2022, of which over US$199 million are for personal services, $389 million for operational expenses and US$898 million for physical investment. Official data says that in 2014, the water system received US$2.9 billion, the largest budget SINA has registered. Nonetheless, this is US$1 billion short of what may be needed now. 

Among the main factors that cause water shortages are the overexploitation of water deposits and mismanagement of water in agriculture, as well as leaks, which represent over 40 percent of wasted water.