Water and Sustainability in Mexico City

Abstract

The article deals with the importance of water for sustainabiliy in Mexico City. It provides a brief reference to its ecological characteristics and the principal transformations it has undergone over time, as a result of the modification of its natural lacustrine eco-system into one of the world's largest cities. It analyzes the problems associated with the water supply, particularly those related to the growing dependence on water, which is drawn from neighboring basins. It also examines the effects of the exploitation of the water table, leaks in the supply network, the varying degrees of access to water and wastewater treatment. The article ends with some reflections on the challenges that will be faced by the city in supplying its future population with water.