The water crisis continues in Mexico City and the State of Mexicoand although the rains were already present, they have not been enough to remedy the problems that were the dams of the Cutzamala System facewhich are at low storage levels, compared to historical records.
According to the most recent report of the Technical Committee for the Operation of Hydraulic Works of the National Water Commission (Conagua), the storage of the Cutzamala System at the cutoff of April 22 is 32.4 percent, which is barely more than half of the historical 64.5 percent recorded on the same date in past years.
There are even those who fear the arrival of a ‘day zero’, in which the water supply will be impossible to satisfy all the people in the Valley of Mexico who use the Cutzamala, and although it is expected that with the rains the level will rise. storage, there are still several problems facing water collection in the Valley of Mexico.
Mexico City and the State of Mexico have suffered the consequences of an anticyclonic system, which has not allowed the entry of rain and has contributed to the failure to increase the level of the dams; However, that is not its biggest problem, but rather the infrastructure and all the water wasted through broken pipes.
Data from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) indicate that about 40 to 50 percent of water is lost in pipes where there are breaks or damage, which makes a good part of the Cutzamala water problem be due to its infrastructure.
Jeanette Leyva, journalist The financialhe explained in his column This Tuesday, April 23, there are various organizations that require authorities and businessmen to make financial commitments to address this problem; However, it would mean a significant economic challenge.
How much would it cost to repair the Cutzamala System pipes?
According to journalist Jeanette Leyva, it is estimated that 70 billion pesos are necessary to serve and renew hydraulic infrastructure in the Valley of Mexico.
This figure is a little less than what the Felipe Ángeles International Airport cost, which exceeded 91 billion pesos.
However, there seems to be a refusal on the part of authorities and businessmen to invest in addressing these types of problems that mainly affect citizens who depend on the water supply for domestic use.
“Unfortunately, there is a negative stance towards private investment in the water sector and they forget the magnitude of the problem, which requires collaboration between the public and private sectors to achieve urgent and effective solutions, since destiny caught up with us,” explains Jeanette Leyva.
One of the possibilities would be for the government and companies to collaborate, since solving the problem of leaks would help avoid a 20 percent increase in costs for companies that have concessions.
