Diagnosis of urban water stress
Introduction
The effects of climate change in the country, including extreme droughts, overexploitation of aquifers, water stress, the impact of industry, pollution, poor management, shortages, population density, marginalization, corruption, organized crime and the proliferation of invasive species, are the main causes of shortage in the country.[1] [2].
Although Mexico prides itself on having some of the best drinking water and sanitation operating organizations in Latin America, it also has some whose performance is deplorable. Access, efficiency and quality of water and sanitation services vary greatly from one locality to another, largely reflecting the different levels of development across the country. In general, the Mexican water and sanitation sector is marked by low technical and commercial efficiency in the provision of services, inadequate quality of water supply services, poor quality of sanitation services, and insufficient coverage in the poorest rural areas.
The quality of service also leaves a lot to be desired. Mexico is among the countries that register a high risk due to poor water quality due to the nitrogen used with agricultural fertilizer, high levels of water salinity and environmental deterioration of aquifers, rivers and lakes, reports the most recent report from the World Bank (WB).[3].
In April 2021, Mexico was facing drought in North America, one of the most widespread in its history, with 85% of the country experiencing drought conditions.[4] The situation worsened profoundly in 2022, affecting multiple states and specifically eight states in Mexico suffered extreme droughts with 1,546 of the 2,463 municipalities experiencing varying degrees of shortages.[5] It escalated to a problem of national concern in 2023 and 2024, resulting in a historic water crisis,[6][7] in which there was no considerable improvement until 2025.[8].
Mexico participated in water scarcity cooperation initiatives with foreign governments in 2023, particularly with Israel, which has overcome water access challenges in its desert environment through drip irrigation and desalination technologies,[9] and with the Netherlands, which has allocated funds through its Freshwater Challenge to promote sustainable water management.[10].
Monitoring
The National Water Information System is the instrument responsible for collecting information about the management and handling of water resources.[11].