Abstract
Water management policies in the Basin of Mexico, where Mexico City and its nearly 20 million inhabitants live, are analyzed. After a brief description of how water has been managed, possible water management plans that would change water management practices in the Basin are discussed and a call is made for a change in the defensive attitude towards water taken to date. As the aquifer’s replacement cost is considered to be the proxy for the implementation of water tariffs, this is determined, based on the cost of future water sources, and found to be 0.65-0.72 USD/m3. This is twice the amount currently charged in the Federal District (0.34 USD/m3), where 45% of the City's domestic water users are found. As another alternative, the development of an artificial recharge program is also analyzed and found to be a plausible way to increase water supply at a unitary cost of 0.605 USD/m3. Despite the presence of these alternatives, it is suggested that water management in the Basin needs to change from a water supply approach to a water demand approach.
Résumé
Des politiques de gestion de l'eau dans le bassin du Mexique, où Mexico et ses presque 20 millions d'habitants vivent, sont analysées. Après une courte description de la façon dont l'eau a été contrôlée, des plans possibles de gestion de l'eau qui changeraient des pratiques de gestion de l'eau dans le bassin sont discutés et un appel est fait pour un changement de l'attitude défensive envers l'eau prise jusqu'ici. Car le coût de remplacement de la couche aquifère est considéré la procuration pour l'exécution des tarifs d'eau, c'est déterminé, basé sur le coût de futures sources d'eau, et trouvé pour être 0.65-0.72 USD/m3. C'est deux fois le montant actuellement facturé au District Fédéral (0.34 USD/m3), où 45% des utilisateurs domestiques de l'eau sont trouvés. En tant qu'autre alternative, le développement d'un programme artificiel de recharge est également analysé et avéré une manière plausible d'augmenter l'approvisionnement de l’eau à un coût unitaire de 0.605 USD/m3. En dépit de la présence de ces solutions on suggère que la gestion de l'eau dans le bassin doive changer d'une approche d'approvisionnement de l’eau en une approche de gestion de demande.
Resumen
Las políticas de manejo de recursos Hidráulicos en la Cuenca de México, donde se encuentra la Ciudad de Mexico y sus cerca de 20 millones de habitantes son analizadas en este trabajo. Después de una breve descripción de cómo el agua ha sido manejada, diferentes alternativas de manejo que pueden cambiar la situación actual son discutidas y se hace un llamado a cambiar la actitud defensiva que se ha tenido en el manejo del agua desde la fundación de la Ciudad hasta nuestros días. Debido a que el costo de reemplazo del acuífero es considerado como la pauta para la adecuada implementación de tarifas de suministro de agua, es determinado mediante el costo de posibles fuentes de agua futuras. El costo de reemplazo varía entre 0.65 y 0.72 USD/m3, lo cual corresponde al doble de la tarifa actual del Distrito Federal (0.34 USD/m3), donde el 45% de los usuarios de agua doméstica de la Ciudad se localizan. Como alternativa, el desarrollo de un programa de recarga artificial al acuífero es también analizado, encontrando que es una posible vía para aumentar el suministro de agua, con un costo unitario de 0.605 USD/m3. A pesar de la existencia de estas alternativas, se sugiere que el manejo de los recursos hidráulicos en la Cuenca de México cambie en la forma en la que se realiza, enfocándose en el manejo de la demanda de agua y no en incrementar el suministro.
Resumo
Analisam-se as políticas de gestão da água na Bacia do México, onde se localiza a Cidade do México, com os seus quase 20 milhões de habitantes. Após uma breve descrição de como se tem gerido a água, discutem-se os possíveis planos de gestão da água, que iriam alterar as suas práticas na Bacia, e apela-se à mudança na atitude defensiva que tem existido relativamente à água até à data. Dado que o custo de substituição do aquífero é considerado um bom critério para a fixação das tarifas de água, este é determinado com base no custo de futuras origens de água, obtendo-se o valor de 0.65-0.72 USD/m3. É o dobro do valor cobrado actualmente no Distrito Federal (0.34 USD/m3), onde se encontram 45% dos utilizadores domésticos da Cidade. Como alternativa, é analisado o desenvolvimento de um programa de recarga artificial, que se revela ser uma forma plausível de reforçar o abastecimento de água a um custo unitário de 0.605 USD/m3. Não obstante a existência destas alternativas, considera-se que a gestão da água na Bacia deve mudar a sua abordagem de abastecimento para uma abordagem pelas necessidades de água.
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Acknowledgements
Financial support from Mexico’s National Science and Technology Council (CONACyT) and the National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) is acknowledged. We would like to thank the comments provided by two anonymous reviewers and Chris Scott, which helped to improve the contents of the report.
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Carrera-Hernández, J.J., Gaskin, S.J. Water management in the Basin of Mexico: current state and alternative scenarios. Hydrogeol J 17, 1483–1494 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-009-0442-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-009-0442-2