State of Mexico Clears Water Debts in Deal With 23 Cities

The government of the State of Mexico has signed a fiscal regularization agreement with 23 municipalities aimed at strengthening the financial sustainability of water services and ensuring a reliable supply for households across the state. The agreement, promoted by Gov. Delfina Gómez Álvarez and published in the state’s Official Gazette, allows participating municipalities to regularize outstanding debts related to water supply and management. As part of the deal, 100% of surcharges and enforcement costs associated with those liabilities will be waived.

State officials said the measure is designed to provide municipalities with flexible mechanisms to meet their fiscal obligations while maintaining the continuity and quality of public water services. The initiative also seeks to promote more efficient, responsible and transparent management of water resources at the local level.

“The signing of this agreement represents a strategic step to strengthen hydraulic infrastructure and improve the operation of drinking water, drainage and sanitation systems, directly benefiting the population,” said Beatriz García Villegas, executive director of the State of Mexico Water Commission (CAEM).

According to CAEM, the agreement is expected to support several operational and financial objectives, including improved performance of water supply, drainage and sanitation systems, reinforcement of hydraulic infrastructure, and greater fiscal stability for municipalities without compromising service delivery.

The municipalities participating in the agreement are Nextlalpan, Ixtapan de la Sal, Texcalyacac, Otumba, Donato Guerra, Chicoloapan, Xonacatlán, Axapusco, Sultepec, Timilpan, Joquicingo, Naucalpan, Luvianos, Amatepec, Jilotepec, Malinalco, Teotihuacán, Nicolás Romero, Atizapán de Zaragoza, Hueypoxtla, Chimalhuacán, Zinacantepec and Huixquilucan.

State authorities framed the agreement as part of a broader national effort to reinforce interinstitutional coordination and improve water governance. Earlier this month, the Mexican government granted 43 agricultural water concession titles to producers in the state of Zacatecas, seeking to provide legal certainty for water use, improve regulation of national water resources and support food sovereignty. The action was carried out through the National Water Commission (Conagua) and aligns with President Claudia Sheinbaum’s commitment to guarantee the human right to water, bring order to the use of national waters, and address the historical overexploitation and concentration of water resources.