Background on Key Figures and Relevant Context
Mexico is currently facing a severe water crisis, with over 130 initiatives related to water conservation or drought management frozen in the Congress of the Union. This situation is particularly concerning given a 2009 constitutional reform that mandated the creation of a new Water General Law. Both chambers of Congress and the federal government have organized forums to transform Mexico’s water regime, aiming to establish a Water General Law and reform the National Water Law. However, these crucial steps were supposed to be completed by the end of 2012 when the Constitution was amended to recognize water as a human right.
Prominent Figures and Their Proposals
Despite the ongoing crisis, numerous significant proposals have been left unaddressed. One notable example is the reform proposal by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador in February 2024. His reform constitutionally addressed the right to food, a healthy environment, and access to water. López Obrador emphasized that every individual should have sufficient, clean, acceptable, affordable, and preferential access to water for personal and domestic use.
Recent Iniciativas
In 2025, various iniciativas have been presented. For instance, the Party of the Democratic Center (PVEM) in Congress has proposed derogating the National Water Law and enacting a Water General Law. This new law would establish coordination among territorial authorities to ensure sufficient, clean, acceptable, affordable, and equitable access to water for personal and domestical use. It would also protect the right to a healthy environment linked with integrated water resource management.
Key Issues and Proposed Solutions
Regulating Water Concessions
The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) in the Senate has proposed regulating water concessions by incorporating efficiency criteria and environmental sustainability. They also suggest that the National Water Commission (CONAGUA) should prioritize concessions for projects integrating technologies to capture, reuse, and treat water, reducing waste and ensuring long-term resource availability.
Addressing Drought
Morena’s Deputy Ulises Mejía Haro proposed creating the National Sequia Management Center in 2024. He also aimed to define “sequia” within the law as a natural phenomenon resulting from significantly below-average rainfall, causing acute water imbalance and harming resource production systems.
Expanding Security National Threats
In 2020, a Morena deputy introduced an initiative to amend and add articles 5° and 12 of the National Security Law. The goal was to broaden national security threats, including climate change and acts causing water scarcity.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the current water crisis situation in Mexico? Over 130 water-related initiatives are stalled in the Mexican Congress amid a severe drought crisis.
- Who are the key figures involved in proposing water law reforms? Former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the Party of the Democratic Center (PVEM), and the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) are among those proposing water law reforms.
- What are the proposed solutions to address the water crisis? Proposals include regulating water concessions with efficiency and sustainability criteria, creating a National Sequia Management Center, expanding national security threats to include climate change, and establishing a Water General Law with coordination among territorial authorities.
