Mexico City Water Crisis: Is “Day Zero” Looming for the Megacity?

Mexico City Water Crisis: A severe drought has gripped the majority of Mexico, and there are concerns that the capital city may run out of water within the next few months.

The escalating temperatures and progressively unpredictable weather patterns give rise to substantial concern about climate change in Mexico City, which poses a risk to the city’s water security and exacerbates the severity of drought conditions. The most urgent repercussions for Mexico City are the conditions of severe drought worsening. As a result of increased temperatures and modified precipitation patterns, the city’s conventional water sources have been disrupted, resulting in depleted aquifers and reservoirs. Roughly 90 percent of Mexico City is experiencing severe drought.

In several neighborhoods, there has been no water for the past four months, and it will take four months before the rainy season returns, said atmospheric scientist Christian Dominguez Sarmiento.

The day when the city’s water supply will stop flowing is known as “Day Zero,” despite the government downplaying it. According to local media, Conagua, the water agency of Mexico, is making preparations to cease water distribution on June 26.

What causes Mexico City’s water shortage?

Mexico City has encountered water scarcity despite its proximity to water sources such as lakes and rivers. Increasing groundwater extraction, deforestation, and a lack of infrastructure have all contributed to this predicament.

Historically, Mexico City has obtained a significant portion of its water supply from the lakes and rivers that surround it. Urbanization, industrialization, and climate change have significantly depleted or grossly polluted a significant number of bodies of water over time. The majority of surface water in the city comes from reservoirs such as the Cutzamala system, which receives water from the Lerma and Balsas rivers. Due to a drastic reduction in capacity, this system has been facing increasing usage restrictions.

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Additionally, the legacy of colonialism has been influential. On an island in Lake Texcoco, the Aztecs constructed Tenochtitlan, their capital. Upon their arrival in the 16th century, the Spanish conquistadors endeavored to impose their preferred water management system. To supply water to the expanding city, they drained the lakes and built aqueducts from the colonial era. The accelerated expansion of the city has placed a strain on this system to its breaking point.