Mexico faces increasing pressure on its water resources due to a combination of structural factors that limit continuous access to water for millions of people. According to Guillermo Punzo, Sustainability Manager at Grupo Rotoplas and spokesperson for bebbia, the country requires a paradigm shift that combines investment in infrastructure, technological innovation, and more efficient resource management to guarantee long-term water security.
The specialist explained that water stress is primarily due to an unequal distribution between water availability and demand. While most of the population and economic activity is concentrated in the central and northern parts of the country, these regions experience lower levels of rainfall and prolonged periods of drought, which puts constant pressure on watersheds.
This phenomenon is compounded by a water infrastructure with significant shortcomings. Leaky distribution networks, insufficient treatment plants, and a management model that relies on transporting water from increasingly distant sources raise costs and reduce the system’s efficiency.
Punzo pointed out that the problem has worsened in urban areas due to the accelerated growth in demand on already overexploited aquifers and the lack of infrastructure maintenance. In rural communities, however, the main threat comes from climate variability, with more prolonged droughts affecting both domestic water supply and productive activities.
One of the biggest challenges is water loss in the distribution networks. The spokesperson emphasized that nearly 40% of the water intended for domestic consumption is wasted before reaching homes due to leaks, representing a significant loss of a resource that has already incurred costs for collection, treatment, and pumping. Leaks inside homes also contribute to this problem, so he called for strengthening a culture of water efficiency in everyday consumption.
Climate change and the overexploitation of aquifers are also accelerating the crisis. Rainfall is becoming increasingly irregular, with prolonged periods of drought followed by intense downpours that the existing infrastructure is unable to handle. At the same time, numerous aquifers are being drained more than they can recharge, jeopardizing future availability.
Faced with this scenario, Punzo highlighted the growth of decentralized solutions that complement public infrastructure. These include rainwater harvesting systems, storage in tanks and cisterns, and point-of-use purification and treatment equipment, which ensure access to water and promote its reuse.
The expert noted that Mexican households are already demonstrating a significant capacity for adaptation by incorporating these technologies and adopting habits such as repairing leaks, reusing greywater, regularly cleaning cisterns, and monitoring consumption.
Finally, he maintained that public policies should incentivize rainwater harvesting and water reuse in housing developments, expand wastewater treatment, promote the modernization of the agricultural sector, and strengthen programs that guarantee equitable access to water. He stated that achieving water security will require the joint participation of authorities, companies and citizens to make more responsible use of the resource.
Source: eleconimista
