Water Scarcity in Mexico City

For my Global Urbanization Policy course, I wrote my final paper about the water management issues of Mexico City. The city has a rich history of successful water management, but following the Spanish conquest of the 16th century, the city has dealt with major flooding and water scarcity issues. My paper explores the historical context regarding water in Mexico City and its impacts on residents today.

Skills used:

• International policy research

• Technical writing

Mexico City is one of the largest metropolises in the world and serves as the cultural, political, and economic capital of Mexico. However, it faces a water scarcity crisis that threatens the long-term survival of the city and its 22 million inhabitants. Built on the dry bed of Lake Texcoco, the city’s rapid expansion, poor water management, and the effects of climate change have led to severe widespread water shortages. Despite being located in a historically, water-rich valley, the region now faces the paradoxical issues of simultaneous widespread flooding and chronic water shortages (Financing Water Resource Management in Mexico, 2010). Historically, Mexico City was home to one of the most advanced water management systems in the world, developed by the Aztec Empire to sustain the thriving population. When the Spanish conquered the city, they drained nearby lakes and transformed the valley into a dry basin. Today, the city is over reliant on underground aquifers and faces infrastructure issues and rapid urban grown, causing the city to sink by several inches in some areas (Water Overview, n.d.).

This paper will explore the historical development of water management in Mexico City, identify the primary causes of its current water scarcity, and examine the social and economic impacts of this crisis.