During the pandemic, the essential nature of water became evident through the simple act of handwashing. Discussing water in a country like Mexico highlights various realities marked by significant inequalities. In 2019, Mexico’s National Water Commission reported that only 58% of the population had consistent access to water. Meanwhile, 10 million people lacked access, were unaware of water quality, or did not receive a continuous supply. The lack of water, coupled with extreme poverty, is one of the primary indicators of inequality affecting millions of Mexicans. In 2018, the National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy (CONEVAL) estimated that 9.3 million people lived in extreme poverty.
Indigenous communities face severe limitations regarding water access, exacerbating their already difficult circumstances. Urbanization also impacts water availability significantly. For every hectare of land considered conservation or water infiltration and recharge area that is lost to land use change, irregular human settlements, or unchecked deforestation, up to 2,500 cubic meters of water are lost permanently.
According to CONAGUA, 77% of the population lives in areas where water is scarce. Interestingly, the regions generating the highest concentration of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) are also those with the least water available. Human-induced climate change further threatens the availability of the freshwater essential for life, yet it seems the warnings issued over the past two decades have not been heeded. At the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, three high-risk phenomena threatening human survival were identified: desertification, biodiversity loss, and climate change. This summit initiated urgent calls for action. In 1995, the Conference of the Parties (COP) was established, bringing together UN member countries annually to discuss, negotiate, and agree on the best ways to jointly address climate change.
The World Resources Institute (WRI) report highlighted that regions using more than 80% of their water for agriculture, livestock, industry, and domestic needs are at a high risk of future droughts. Countries like Bahrain, Cyprus, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, and Qatar are among those most at risk.
Mexico was ranked 26th in terms of high water stress, being the first in the ranking for countries with high water stress. Globally, demand for water exceeds available supply, having more than doubled since 1960. Water stress, defined as the ratio of water demand to renewable supply, measures competition over local water resources. A country facing “extreme water stress” uses at least 80% of its available supply, while “high water stress” means withdrawing 40% of its supply.
To improve water management and reduce water stress, countries can enhance water governance, water efficiency in agriculture, adopt integrated water resource management, and improve water infrastructure through nature-based solutions and green infrastructure.
On July 8, 2024, the Madín II water treatment plant began operations in Atizapán de Zaragoza, State of Mexico, increasing water supply by 1.8 million liters per hour for Mexico City and the metropolitan area. Sustainable Development Goal 6 aims for clean water and sanitation for all by 2030, substantially increasing water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensuring sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity.
The human right to water and sanitation (HRWS) is a principle stating that clean drinking water and sanitation are universal human rights, recognized by the United Nations General Assembly on July 28, 2010. In Mexico, the water crisis is undeniable: 60% of water bodies are contaminated, 157 aquifers are overexploited, and 50% of the territory has lost its original vegetation cover.
Sources:
https://www.wri.org/insights/highest-water-stressed-countries
https://ibero.mx/prensa/ley-solapa-que-grandes-empresas-acaparen-el-agua-investigador-ibero