In response to concerns over potential restrictions on international water supplies, particularly under the leadership of US President Donald Trump, Senator Armando Ayala Robles has announced plans for a massive aqueduct project in Tabasco. The proposed mega-aqueduct would bring water from the southeast region to the northern parts of the country.
According to Ayala Robles, this initiative aims to address the risks associated with the United States’ tightening its international policy on water access. Mexico relies heavily on the 1944 International Water Treaty, which requires delivering approximately 2.6 billion cubic meters of water to the US every five years in exchange for 9 billion cubic meters from the US.
However, Senator Ayala Robles emphasized that Mexico has not met its quota, and that the treaty is set to expire in October this year.
To mitigate potential issues, the senator suggested reviving old hydraulic projects like the Northwest Hydraulic Plan, which dates to the 1970s. This plan sought to bring water from Nayarit to Sinaloa, Sonora, and Baja California through canals, dams, and aqueducts.
He also highlighted the possibility of private sector participation in the investment, much like that seen with Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex).
The senator underscored the urgency of acting before the deadline for the treaty with the United States expires, noting that not all of Pemex’s pipelines were built directly by the Federal Government but through concessions.
Regarding immediate steps, Ayala Robles announced two key points: establishing a working group involving the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Finance, and Pemex to address outstanding payments; and convening technical and financial analysis panels to evaluate the mega aqueduct project.
He stressed that acting quickly is crucial before Trump’s decisions impact Mexico’s water supply, emphasizing the need for self-sufficiency in water access.
Source: El Heraldo de Tabasco
