The effects of water shortages in Veracruz, Mexico, would be stronger than in previous years. The low water level is not as far away as it seems and it is urgent to define where water will come from for the municipality of Veracruz, as there is a looming shortage of water from the Jamapa river and the project to transfer water from the Cotaxtla river has not yet been realized, says Oliver Olmos Cabrera, president of the Independent Civil Movement (MOCI) in Veracruz.
In winter, the shortage is not measured because less water is used than in the heat, but with the passage of time the high temperatures will return and more water will be used. ‘From February onwards, the water shortage begins, not so much in the city, but because the Pico de Orizaba begins to thaw, and the problem of every year is that the Jamapa River, which feeds the entire metropolitan area of Veracruz, Boca del Río and Medellín, has less and less flow.
‘In addition, there is no progress on the Cotaxtla river diversion project, which is an impact project that would help the population at this time of year, at least during the 20 days of low water, when the lack of water here in the metropolitan area is at its worst,’ Olmos Cabrera said.
He hoped that the new state government would be able to consolidate this project so that the population would not be too affected during the period of April, May and June. He stressed that the Jamapa River is already insufficient to supply the municipality of Veracruz, whose population is very high and far exceeds that of the surrounding municipalities. He also stressed the importance of a project to bring water from the Cotaxtla river to the Jamapa to Boca del Río and Veracruz, or else the low water level will be very severe.
