Mexico City S Water Supply

This book addresses the technical, health, regulatory, and social aspects of ground water withdrawals, water use, and water quality in the metropolitan area of Mexico City, and makes recommendations to improve the balance of water supply, water demand, and water conservation. The study came about through a nongovernmental partnership between the U.S. National Academy of Sciences' National Research Council and the Mexican Academies of Science and Engineering. The book will contain a Spanish-language translation of the complete English text.

This book presents several complex case studies related to water management and planning in the context of pollution, growing demands, and global climate change in Mexico, but which are also relevant for other countries in Latin America. These concerns are of critical importance for policymakers who are coping with multiple conflicting interests. Water availability in Mexico is polarized, with abundant rainfall and large rivers in the south, and desert-like conditions in the north. The central region, which is the most industrialized, is overpopulated. Mexico City pours millions of cubic meters of “blackwater” into the northern valley daily and receives its clean water from the south. To address these unsustainable conditions, the world's 4th biggest water treatment plant went into operation in 2018. The water infrastructure and governance must satisfy the demands of all sectors, including agricultural, urban, and economic activities. At the same time, water resources are affected by drought, and climate change puts constraints on the supply. As such, regulation and monitoring are important when it comes to adherence to agreed plans and priorities. The book is divided into four sections. 1: Water Availability discusses quantitative aspects, such as supply, methods of calculation, and fracking. 2: Water Quality highlights pollution risks and diagnosis of water resources. 3: Water Allocation examines the sectoral demands and vulnerability due to unsustainable irrigation. 4: Water Governance and Management focuses on laws, urban rules, national parks, planning, and integrated water resources management, among other topics. The chapters include illustrative case studies in Mexico, such as basins, cities, reservoirs, and aquifers, water supply demand assessment, planning, and management.

Water resources in Mexico are threatened by scarcity, pollution and climate change. In two decades water consumption doubled, producing water stress in dry seasons and semi-arid and arid regions. Water stress rises due to physical and economic stress. In seven parts a multidisciplinary team analyzes hydrological processes in basins and their interaction with climate, soil and biota. Competing water use in agriculture, industry and domestic needs require savings, decontamination processes and desalination to satisfy the growing demand. Water quality affects health and ecosystems. This creates conflicts and cooperation that may be enhanced by public policy, institution building and social organization.

This comprehensive volume presents the topic of water resources of Mexico from a different angle. Besides covering the geohydrology it also offers a brief account of the ancient water resources works, explains from where the water is coming, how the water is being used in homes and in the industry, how the dams are operated in the hurricane season, some aspects of the water-energy-food securities nexus and the expectations for the future in connection with global climate change. The book is of interest to every one connected with the water resources of Mexico, e.g. federal and state employees of agencies related with water management, water supply and wastewater treatment. It is also of value to those in academia and employed at water related professional associations and the general public.

Approximately 80 per cent of the population of Latin America is concentrated in urban centres. Pressure on water resources and water management in cities therefore provide major challenges. Despite the importance of the issues, there has been little systematic coverage of the topic in book form. This work fills a gap in the literature by providing both thematic overviews and case study chapters. It reviews key aspects of why water matters in cities and presents case studies on topics such as groundwater management, green growth and water services, inequalities in water supply, the financing of water services and flood management. Detailed examples are described from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru, and there is also a chapter comparing lessons which might be learnt from US cities. Contributing authors are drawn from both within and outside the region, including from the Inter-American Development Bank, OECD and World Bank to set the issues in a global context.

Evolution of Water Supply Through the Millennia presents the major achievements in the scientific fields of water supply technologies and management throughout the millennia. It provides valuable insights into ancient water supply technologies with their apparent characteristics of durability, adaptability to the environment, and sustainability. A comparison of the water technological developments in several civilizations is undertaken. These technologies are the underpinning of modern achievements in water engineering and management practices. It is the best proof that “the past is the key for the future.” Rapid technological progress in the twentieth century created a disregard for past water technologies that were considered to be far behind the present ones. There are a great deal of unresolved problems related to the management principles, such as the decentralization of the processes, the durability of the water projects, the cost effectiveness, and sustainability issues such as protection from floods and droughts. In the developing world, such problems were intensified to an unprecedented degree. Moreover, new problems have arisen such as the contamination of surface and groundwater. Naturally, intensification of unresolved problems led societies to revisit the past and to reinvestigate the successful past achievements. To their surprise, those who attempted this retrospect, based on archaeological, historical, and technical evidence were impressed by two things: the similarity of principles with present ones and the advanced level of water engineering and management practices. Evolution of Water Supply Through the Millennia is intended for engineers in water resources companies, hydraulic design companies, and water Institutes. It can be used for all courses related to water resources. Authors: Andreas N. Angelakis, Institute of Iraklion, National Foundation for Agricultural Research (N.AG.RE.F.), Greece, Larry W. Mays, School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, USA, Demetris Koutsoyiannis, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Greece, Nikos Manassis, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Greece.