Mexico City's Water Management: In Search of Sustainability

Carrera-Hernandez, J.J. (2006). Mexico City's Water Management: In Search of Sustainability. IIASA Interim Report. IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria: IR-06-022

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Abstract

Mexico City is facing water supply problems as its population increases and aquifer overexploitation needs to be stopped. Because of its geographic location the City has continuously faced water related problems such as floods and lack of the resource. Currently the closest water sources have been already tapped and more water will be needed in the near future in order to satisfy the ever increasing demand as the aquifer systems located under the City provide nearly 75% of the total water supply. Water from the aquifers is extracted at a higher rate than they are replenished, causing a mean decline in the ground water table of one meter per year. A high percentage of water used is exported to the Panuco basin without being reused; thus, authorities are trying to implement a program to artificially recharge the aquifer using reclaimed waste water and wells in order to reduce aquifer overdraft and as an alternative to meet the ever increasing water demand. Although the main focus of the present paper is to analyze the artificial recharge program, other water policies such as efficient water use and leak detection in the water supply network will be analyzed as well along with a comparison between importing water from other river basins and use of reclaimed waste water is realized and a new approach is proposed in order to improve water management in the Basin.

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