Mining Deposits Help Chihuahua Source Water

José Franco, Operations Director, the Municipal Water and Sanitation Board (JMAS) of Parral, announced the progress of a water treatment plant project in the El Quijote, Chihuahua. Here, mining deposits were fundamental to guaranteeing a water supply for nearby communities amid the water scarcity issues troubling the state.

Around US$487,000 were required to develop the project, which aims to treat water coming from the Veta Colorada, El Arbolito, and El Caiman mines. According to Franco, the project, which started in 2019 during Javier Corral’s administration, is to be concluded in the coming days. The project is expected to treat over 50L/s and source tap water for over 10,000 homes, which represents 25 percent of the registered inhabitants. The treated water is expected to benefit nearby communities called PRI, Che Guevara, Land and Freedom, Almaceña and Paseos de la Almaceña.

Amid Chihuahua’s water crisis and low water levels at the El Parral dam, which in 2020 reached only 13 percent of its capacity, the state government looked for more sources of water. Nearby mines were fundamental to help alleviate the lack of water: in May 2020, JMAS reported that it installed equipment at the Esmeralda mine to source water for a water treatment plant, with the aim to reduce the extraction of water from the El Parral dam. 

In May 2021, JMAS announced the construction of a water well at the la Recompensa mine, with an investment of over US$98,000 to carry out drilling work, equip the well and connect it with the water system. The project was developed in conjunction with JMAS, using the mining company’s own resources. The well was expected to source over 17L/s to the northern Parral area. 

The water treatment plant is important for surrounding communities, which have reported they received muddied water, with a “chocolate-like color.” The JMAS project would solve this problem.

Public-private projects to source water have proven to yield positive results, like the water treatment plant run by Minera Cuzcatlan in Oaxaca, which allows the company to source 80 percent of its water from the treatment plant, while the remaining 20 percent goes to the surrounding communities.

Water is fundamental to developing activities in different sectors such as mining, as well as vital for communities to simply exist. Northern Mexico’s water crisis has put both communities and companies at risk. To address these issues, it is important to develop strategies that involve the private sector, government and civil society.