Mexican authorities implemented rigorous, monthslong reductions in Mexico City’s water supply, taking action just a month after initiating initial restrictions due to a drought depleting the capital’s reservoirs.
The Mexican National Water Commission and the mayor disclosed these measures in a news conference, though the official announcement on social media came only four hours before the restrictions came into effect.
A significant drop in rainfall has led to historic seasonal lows in the Cutzamala system, a network of three reservoirs catering to over 20 million residents in the Valley of Mexico. The system currently stands at 44% below its expected level for this time of the year. Water restrictions began with an approximate 8% reduction on October 17, but Friday’s cuts are much more severe, constituting an additional 25% reduction in the system’s total flow.
Twelve boroughs, primarily in the west of the city, can anticipate decreased water pressure until the restrictions are lifted, with officials refraining from specifying a precise timeframe, only indicating that restrictions will persist for “the next few months.” They emphasized that the rainy season, crucial for replenishing the city’s water, is not expected until around May.
This marks an unprecedented move, as Mexico has never before announced such stringent and prolonged water restrictions for the city due to drought. While the city’s residents have experienced water cuts in the past, those were typically due to strikes or repairs, which concluded within days. Officials attributed the recent decline in rainfall to El Niño and heat waves, with drought conditions intensifying over the past four years and steadily reducing reservoir levels.
Studies indicate that climate change contributes to more robust El Niño patterns, leading to periods of reduced rainfall.
Mexico experienced 25% less rainfall than anticipated this year compared to averages from the past three decades. Over three-quarters of the country is grappling with drought, and 93% of the Valley of Mexico itself is in drought, according to the country’s chief meteorological expert. Despite concerns about depleted groundwater, officials announced plans for three new water wells and enhancements to 58 existing wells.
The commission also pledged to continue the development of a new water treatment plant at the Madin reservoir, northwest of Mexico City. Rafael Carmona Paredes, the capital’s chief water official, urged residents to “adopt new habits” to safeguard against a complete depletion of the city’s water supply.
