Mexico City Plans $2.8 Billion in Projects to Tackle Water Shortage and Pollution

---

Written by Richard Finlayson, Senior International Editor for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Originally built "on water," Mexico City is facing the challenge of supplying drinkable water to its citizens and freeing its network of canals from the threat of pollution. Mexico's efforts will be watched with a keen interest by municipal water managers worldwide who have water and social development problems going hand-in-hand.

A $2.8 billion schedule of projects has been announced by the National Water Commission (Comision Nacional de Agua, Conagua) (CONAGUA) to tackle the water problems in the Mexico Valley. CONAGUA's director, Jose Luis Luege, said that the situation is critical and that within the next 10 years, the region will be faced with a shortage of water and high risks of collapsing ground.

Modernizing the water distribution system in the Mexico Valley would cost a total of $7.7 billion. Currently, the Mexico City network is losing up to 40% through leakages.

Fondo Nacional de Infraestructura (FONADIN),Mexico's national infrastructure fund, is funding the commission so it can perform basic engineering studies for three new sources of water. The intention is to leave the projects ready for the new government to put out tenders.

An estimated investment of $1.6 billion would fund the construction of a 140-kilometer (km) Necaxa-Alto Tecoluta water transfer line, which would bring 9,000 liters per second (l/s) from Veracruz State to Mexico City.

A $738 million project, the Mezquital system would cover the construction of 150 wells, a dam, potable water plant, three pumping stations and an 80-km transfer line. The system would supply 6,500 liters per second.

In a $515 million project, the city's Cutzamala water distribution line would be expanded to deliver 3,500 liters per second. This project includes a dam, a 42-km transfer line, and a pumping station. All three projects would be executed under a public-private partnership model.

Adding another dimension to the water problems is the deterioration of water quality in Xochimilco, the "Venice of Mexico." "At the beginning of the 20th century, Xochimilco had 20,000 hectares of canals and farming land, but today, there is less than 1,000 hectares," said Luege, who added that corrupt politicians have awarded construction permits where there should never have been residential development.

To fight pollution by untreated wastewater and garbage and to prevent flooding, there are plans to treat wastewater in the Chalco valley and then direct it through to Xoichimilco, thus allowing levels to rise and increase productivity in the farming areas.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, and eight offices outside of North America, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.