Mexico water situation now

Not all homes have equal access to water in Mexico City, especially when rainfall is low. Photo by VV Nincic on Flickr.

Mexico continues to face widespread water scarcity in 2025, with improvements after summer rains, but major deficits remain—especially in urban centers and agricultural zones. Key reservoirs supplying Mexico City and surrounding regions remain far below normal, and nearly half the country was facing some degree of drought before the summer rainy season. Even now, 97 major dams are still under 50% capacity.reuters+1​

Urban & Reservoir Conditions

• Mexico City’s main supply, the Cutzamala system, was just over half full in late summer, an improvement from last year’s critical lows, but still well below historic averages.bbvaresearch+2​

• Aging water infrastructure and severe leakage (over 40%) remain unresolved issues, and much groundwater extraction is unsustainable, causing subsidence in some areas.thecooldown+1​

• Local and national authorities have rolled out stricter conservation and infrastructure plans, but there is concern about another dry winter and declining reserves for 2026.proyectosmexico+2​

Regional & Agricultural Impacts

• The northern and central states are experiencing heightened water stress due to both climate change and overexploitation of aquifers, with agricultural regions especially hard-hit.mexiconewsdaily+1​

• Despite heavy rains in parts of the country, much of the national water system still shows considerable deficits, and longer-term drought conditions persist over large areas.mexiconewsdaily+1​

• Water deliveries to the United States under the 1944 Treaty are behind schedule for the latest five-year cycle, straining binational relations and threatening Texas agriculture.cruz.senate+1​

Drought & Policy Response

• Government investment in water infrastructure of roughly 20 billion pesos has been announced for 2025, with long-term planning under the new National Water Plan.proyectosmexico+1​

• As of late 2025, around 7.5% of Mexico’s territory is currently classified as in drought—down from earlier in the year thanks to summer rainfall, but the outlook remains cautious moving into the next dry season.mexiconewsdaily​

In summary, while Mexico avoided outright catastrophe in 2025 due to summer rains, its water crisis is far from over, with structural issues and climate risks persisting into the coming year.reuters+3​

1. https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/mexicos-water-deficit-persists-even-after-torrential-summer-rains-2025-07-03/
2. https://www.bbvaresearch.com/en/publicaciones/mexico-water-out-of-reach-trends-in-use-and-availability/
3. https://www.thecooldown.com/outdoors/mexico-city-water-crisis-reservoirs-refill-replenish/
4. https://www.clarku.edu/news/2024/11/14/the-big-thirst/
5. https://www.proyectosmexico.gob.mx/en/how-mexican-infrastructure/investment-cycle/hydraulic/
6. https://mexicobusiness.news/infrastructure/news/water-availability-necessary-support-industrial-activity
7. https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/drought-mexico-2025/
8. https://mexiconewsdaily.com/business/is-mexicos-agricultural-sector-experiencing-a-water-crisis/
9. https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/07/addressing-northern-mexicos-water-energy-nexus/
10. https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-introduces-legislation-to-hold-mexico-accountable-for-lack-of-water-deliveries-to-texas
11. https://www.trtworld.com/article/c7a1423d522f
12. https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/only-7-5-mexicos-territory-affected-drought-today/
13. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0epzp21z47o
14. https://water.org/our-impact/where-we-work/mexico/
15. https://tecscience.tec.mx/en/cities-and-prosperous-communities/water-infrastructure-in-mexico/
16. https://www.thepacker.com/news/industry/mexico-probably-wont-deliver-all-water-it-owes
17. https://abcnews.go.com/International/mexico-city-residents-faced-water-crisis-resort-drastic/story?id=111472771
18. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/longform/2025/1/8/forgotten-how-one-mexican-city-struggles-against-big-industry-for-water
19. https://theconversation.com/water-wars-a-historic-agreement-between-mexico-and-us-is-ramping-up-border-tension-261492
20. https://wtmx.mx/viewc.asp