Government Launches Water Use Monitoring Platform

The mining industry has often been accused of requiring too much water to operate. In this context, the federal government launched a new Geographic Information System (SIG) called Water and Mining, aiming to control the consumption of the increasingly scarce resource. 

The Mexican Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, María Albores, said that the mining industry is an important economic activity. Nevertheless, she highlighted that it also affects the ecosystem, especially because of how much water a mine consumes. 

According to Albores, much of the water extracted is used for the mining industry, mostly for projects involving copper, steel and gold. Also, she highlighted that 66% of the water concessions involve water deposits that are lacking the resource. Over 19% of the water concessions granted for the extraction of metals are located in already overexploited deposits. Albores accused the mining sector of misuse of surface and underground water, as well as polluting rivers and the groundwater layer. 

Albores said the new SIG will allow the government to create “more sustainable scenarios” for water use while promoting economic development for the regions where mining activities take place. The platform was developed by the Mexican Institute of Water Technology (IMTA) and collects all information regarding water concessions from the Public Registry of Water Rights (REPDA). The platform visualizes the volume of water the industry uses and aims to be a tool to support the creation of public policy regarding the use of water. 

Pedrozo Acuña, Director General, IMTA, warned that by 2050, the greatest natural threat to the mining industry will be the lack of water. For this reason, he urged mining companies to make their processes more efficient and avoid water pollution. Mining companies must also analyze how their operations interact with the environment, communities and water deposits. 

The France-based water solutions company Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions warned mining companies about the changes in the National Waters Law, which will take effect in March 2023. The new regulation will ask companies to implement water treatment plants and recycling methods. The company also warned that it is important that mining players and others commit since if they do not adopt these methods, Mexico’s water scarcity could reach 97 percent in 2023. This situation puts mining companies at risk as most Mexican projects are located in arid states like Durango or Sonora.