Estado de México water shortage initiative in Congress, Digi Mart USA News (Estado de México, Mexico): The Movimiento Ciudadano (MC) caucus in the State of Mexico announced it will present an initiative to address problems with water supply, distribution and sanitation. The proposal was presented during a plenary meeting of local MC lawmakers from the fifth electoral district, which includes the State of Mexico, Colima, Michoacán and Querétaro.
MC state coordinator Juana Bonilla Jaime said water shortages affect several regions of the state, particularly municipalities in the Valley of Mexico such as Ecatepec, Nezahualcóyotl, Naucalpan and La Paz, as well as localities in the Toluca Valley. She said many families must buy water by tanker truck, where a 10,000-liter unit can cost between 2,000 and 2,100 pesos, despite paying for public service.
Bonilla Jaime also warned about the irregular extraction and sale of water, which she described as “huachicol del agua,” citing wells from which water is taken and then sold to residents. She added that although some municipalities have their own wells and the State of Mexico supplies water to Mexico City through the Cutzamala System, supply is insufficient to meet demand, compounded by water quality problems, leaks and poor maintenance of pipe networks.
As part of the diagnosis, she cited a groundwater deficit of 412.1 million cubic meters per year, according to information from the state government, a situation that affects pressure and distribution in various neighborhoods of the Valley of Mexico.
Deputy Ruth Salinas Reyes said the initiative will be presented at the next session. It would regulate municipal water public service concessions more clearly, with a 15-year limit on new authorizations, along with evaluation and transparency mechanisms, while respecting existing rights and municipal autonomy.
Salinas Reyes said the proposal would also create a state water infrastructure fund under a peso-for-peso contribution scheme between the state government and municipalities, subject to budget availability. Resources would be used to repair leaks, modernize distribution networks and strengthen wastewater treatment.
A further proposal would require rainwater harvesting and reuse systems in new urban developments, adapted to local conditions.
She emphasized that the proposal aims to strengthen sanitation, transparency and citizen participation so the public can see how resources allocated to the sector are used and what results are achieved. Finally, she said the water problem requires national attention, and the party will seek to include the proposal in the legislative agenda of the entities in the fifth electoral district.
