The Mexican Government presents 17 water infrastructure projects to benefit 36 million people. 122,600 million pesos to be invested between 2025 and 2030.
At the morning conference on March 12: ‘Las mañaneras del pueblo’, chaired by President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, the Mexican government, through the National Water Commission (Conagua), presented 17 water infrastructure projects as part of the National Water Plan, which will involve an investment of 122,600 million pesos (mdp) (6 billion US$) over six years, with the aim of tackling the areas with the greatest water shortages for the benefit of 36 million people.
The Federal Chief Executive stressed that this is an ambitious project that combines municipal and state investments. “It is a very ambitious project of strategic works and municipal works, combining municipal, state and federal budgets, as well as strategic works,” she said.
She added that these water infrastructure projects will be joined by the Irrigation Technification Programme, which will use drinking water that is not used in agricultural irrigation districts for human consumption.
“There is also the Agricultural Irrigation Technification Programme, which will also free up agricultural irrigation water for human consumption. So it is very good work that Conagua is doing,” she added.
Conagua’s general director, Efraín Morales López, said that of the 122,600 billion pesos that will be allocated between 2025 and 2030, 15 billion pesos will be invested this year to launch the 17 water infrastructure projects, which are:
- Baja California, the Rosarito Desalination Plant: it will supply water to the inhabitants of Tijuana and Rosarito with a total investment of 12 billion pesos (4 billion pesos of state funds and 8 billion pesos of federal funds), starting this year with 191 billion pesos. The bidding process will begin in October and work will begin in November.
- Baja California Sur, El Novillo Dam: This project includes the sectorisation of La Paz, the construction of some elevated tanks and macro and micro-measurement projects. A total investment of 1,423 million pesos is planned for this project, of which 300 million pesos will be allocated this year. The project will benefit more than 250,000 inhabitants. It will be put out to tender in July and work will begin in August.
- Durango, the Tunal II dam: it will complement the Guadalupe Victoria system built during the administration of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. It is a project that will supply drinking water to the city of Durango, benefiting 300,000 inhabitants, with a total investment of 3,985 million pesos, of which 700 million pesos will be allocated this year. Tenders will be invited in May and construction will begin in June.
- Zacatecas, the Milpillas Dam: represents a total investment of 8,900 million pesos, of which 350 million pesos will be allocated this year. It will be put out to tender in July and work will begin in August. Studies and the project to release the land are currently being carried out with the state government.
- The Integral Plan for the Metropolitan Area of the Valley of Mexico: a project that will supply water to Mexico City, the State of Mexico and Hidalgo. A total investment of 50 billion pesos is planned, of which 4.1 billion pesos will be allocated this year from state and federal funds, benefiting 21.6 million people. Tenders will be invited in September and work will begin in October.
- Colima, the Agua para Colima project: the development of a new aqueduct to complement the one in Zacualpan. It has a total investment of 1.78 billion pesos, of which 360 million pesos will be allocated this year. It will be put out to tender in June and work will begin in July. It will benefit 238,000 inhabitants.
- Support for 10 municipalities in the eastern part of the State of Mexico: an investment of 2,516 million pesos is planned for 2025 to benefit 6.4 million people: 555 million pesos from municipal resources, 544 million pesos from the state and 1,417 million pesos from the federal government. There are 101 actions in progress: 64 for drinking water and 37 for sanitation.
- Guerrero, as part of the Acapulco se Transforma Contigo plan: A series of water supply, sanitation and flood control works are being developed. It involves a total investment of 8 billion pesos, of which 1.8 billion pesos will be spent this year. Tenders will be invited in April and work will begin in May.
- Oaxaca, Paso Ancho Dam: total investment of 4,600 million pesos, of which 700 million pesos will be allocated this year. The tender will be launched in July and work will begin in August. It will benefit around 650,000 inhabitants.
- Campeche, Chiná Aqueduct and Aquifer: It will benefit just over 250,000 people, with a total investment of 1,380 million pesos, of which 300 million pesos will be allocated this year. The tender will be launched in June and work will begin in July.
- Tabasco, flood protection works: total investment of 2,400 million pesos, of which 290 million pesos will be allocated this year. The tender will be launched in April and work will begin in May.
- Veracruz, Coatzacoalcos aqueduct: 1.55 billion pesos will be invested to benefit half a million people, of which 350 million pesos will be allocated this year. The tender will be published in July and work will begin in August.
- Guanajuato, the Solís-León aqueduct: a total investment of 15 billion pesos is planned, of which 7 billion pesos will come from the federal budget and 7.5 billion pesos from the state and municipalities. An initial investment of 800 million pesos is expected by 2025, and the tender will be published in August, with construction starting in September. It will benefit 1.8 million inhabitants.
- Tamaulipas, Ciudad Victoria II Aqueduct: Total investment of 1.792 billion pesos, of which 230 million pesos will be allocated this year. Tendering will begin in April and construction in May, benefiting 150,000 inhabitants.
- San Luis Potosí, Las Escobas Dam: This will provide the city with drinking water, with a total investment of 600 million pesos, half of which will come from the federal government and the rest from the state. An initial investment of 300 million pesos will be made in 2025. The tender will be launched in July and work will begin in August.
- Coahuila, the Healthy Water Trunk Networks for La Laguna: This is part of the project built by former President López Obrador. These are trunk networks that will help bring water to four municipalities in the state, with a total investment of 1.7 billion pesos and an initial investment of 1.3 billion pesos. The tender will be issued in April and work will begin in May.
- Sonora, the Hermosillo Dam System: This will benefit 900,000 people, with a total investment of 7.5 billion pesos and an initial investment of 500 million pesos. It will be put out to tender in June and work will begin in July.
He explained that in order to carry out these projects, since 1 October, the start date of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration, work has begun on an analysis to identify water, drainage, sanitation and prevention works.
A survey of 2,478 communities in the country has been carried out, with a total of 1,302 diagnoses. In addition, with the support of the Ministry of Social Welfare, guidelines are being drawn up to ensure that 30 per cent of resources are earmarked for investment in water.
By 26 March, the states and municipalities will be trained to use these guidelines and the diagnoses made to coordinate investments and priority projects, resulting in an investment that will have several sources of funding: the Social Infrastructure Contribution Fund I (FAIS); Conagua’s federal programmes, such as PROAGUA, PROSANEAR and PRODDER; and state contributions.
Also present at the morning conference were Felipe Zataráin Mendoza, Deputy Director General of Drinking Water, Drainage and Sanitation, Aarón Mastache, Deputy Director of Water Infrastructure, and Roberto Capuano, in charge of the Sustainable Water Development Project for the Metropolitan Area of the Valley of Mexico.
