Heavy Rains and Drainage Concerns in Mexico City
Mexico City is experiencing its wettest June in two decades, with a total of 220 million cubic meters of water accumulated so far, surpassing all records since 2004, according to José Mario Esparza, head of the Capital’s Integral Water Management Secretariat (Segiagua).
Operation Tlaloque and Cleanup Efforts
At the beginning of this month, Operation Tlaloque was activated in critical areas with pumping equipment and teams to remove debris from drainage systems. The reports were distributed to the Azcapotzalco, Benito Juárez, Coyoacán, Cuajimalpa, Cuauhtémoc, Gustavo A. Madero, Iztacalco, Iztapalapa, Miguel Hidalgo, Tláhuac, Tlalpan, Venustiano Carranza, and Xochimilco alcaldías, where areas with the highest precipitation reached up to 70 millimeters.
Esparza confirmed that the deep drainage system has functioned correctly and underwent necessary maintenance and desazolve operations. The operation is coordinated with the National Water Commission (Conagua), as the water from Mexico City is directed towards the Tula River, with no issues reported so far.
During this rainy season, the Metropolitan Protocol has been activated multiple times alongside Plan Tlaloque from the Emergency Command Center for Rain-Related Incidents.
Risks from Accumulated Debris
Esparza highlighted the significant risk posed by accumulated debris in drainage systems and water bodies. He emphasized the importance of responsible waste management by citizens to prevent infrastructure damage:
“We have conducted desazolve operations in canyons, runoffs, and drains, extracting hundreds of tons of waste. We reiterate our call to the public to be responsible in managing their waste and avoid impacts on hydrological infrastructure.”
An example of this issue occurred in the Álvaro Obregón alcaldía, where a blockage was reported due to debris accumulation at the Becerra C dam. Intense rainfall during the day dragged solid waste that had been discarded in the dam’s channels, obstructing proper water flow and affecting canal operation.
New Water Management Model
Changing the Water Management Model:
Clara Brugada, Mexico City’s Head of Government, emphasized the need to change the city’s water management model for rainwater utilization. The “sponge city” strategy aims to maximize rainwater infiltration.
“We have a vast water forest covering 60% of the territory as a conservation zone, ensuring natural recharge of the aquifer,” Brugada explained. “In paved areas, we are already executing projects to directly infiltrate water into the subsoil, such as the Domestic Rainwater Harvesting program.”
The rainwater utilization is crucial for water administration, adopting a new approach based on the basin and aquifer vision to maximize its use. Among the projects are rainwater infiltration actions, with a goal of intervening 100 sites this year, both new and in rehabilitation, to recharge aquifers, with rain being the primary source for this purpose.
“We are promoting a program to modernize our treatment plants,” Esparza added. “Mexico City has 25 treatment plants undergoing rehabilitation to increase their capacity.”
