Water Problem and Its Implications on Mexico City

Water Problem and its implications on Mexico City

In what was once lake Texcoco now stands the 3rd most populous city in the world. "Ciudad de los Palacios" ("City of Palaces"), or as we know it Mexico City, is home to more then 20 million (2003) people and serves as the governing capital of Mexico. Like many other metropolis D.F. (as known by the Mexican people) post enormous water sanitation and distribution problems. Ironically enough, the waters once known as lake Texcoco, in which the city lays its foundation on causes as many problems pertaining to this matter as it solves.

Much like Seattle WA, Mexico city is sinking into the ground. Unlike Seattle this is mostly from poor planning and over use of the cities under lying ground water, not sandy; unstable ground as in Seattle's case. D.F. relies on groundwater for more then 80 persent of its water needs. More then 620 deep wells help produce this quota with energy cost greater than the annual consumption of Haiti. The major problem with pumping water from beneath the city is the sinking effects of the cities soil foundation compacting when it losses its water, much like an empty pop can being stepped on. Parts of the city have plunged more then 30 ft into the subsoil as a result of over pumping.

With an estimated 1,100 new rural migrants a day, the cities water problem only gets worse daily. "Pipas" or water trucks, make daily rounds to supply the millions of citizens with highly over priced bottled water. This massive problem of overpopulation is increasingly troubling with experts as they expect 90 percent of further growth to occur in urban areas.

But how do you combat this crisis? One solution, installing low-flow toilets could cut usage by 70 percent. (CIP) New York city in the mid 90's was facing a similar water shortage. Facing a choice of a billion dollar pumping station or low-flow toilets, NY opted for the low-flows. 1.33 million low-flow toilets later, water consumption per day drop 70 percent over an eight-year span (91-99), with 70-90 million gallons saved a day!

A solution currently being employed is to fix leaks in the cities out dated water pipes. Anywhere from 27-40 percent of the cities water is lost through leaks, an estimated 1100 gallons could be saved a second if these leak were. Other ideas currently in use or suggested include: Collecting rainfall, Desalination,