Mexico: Water treatment plant boost for groundwater

The Mexican government and city officials from Durango have approved the construction of a water treatment plant alongside other strategic projects that will ensure an improved supply of quality drinking water while reducing the need to extract groundwater.

Guaranteeing the human right to water

The projects in Durango form part of the national governments 'human right to water' agenda. This was enshrined in the National Water Plan 2024-2030, which was signed into law by the country's president, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo and the National Water Commission (Conagua), as well as other key stakeholders in 2024.

In a country where water scarcity affects 35 million people unequally, the National Water Plan 2024-2030 guarantees the human right to water in sufficient quantity and quality, ensures the sustainability of resources and promotes adequate and responsible management of water in all its uses.

One specified goal of the plan is:

• Preparation of an infrastructure master plan in coordination with states and municipalities, integrating 16 strategic projects to provide drinking water to the areas of greatest water stress, as well as works to protect the population.

Of course, another major benefit of ensuring sufficient quantity and quality of water to the population is the reduction in associated health risks.

National plans working with local plans

In addition to the National Water Plan, local government has unveiled its Water Agenda Vision 2050 project. This long-term project will be overseen by Aguas del Municipio de Durango (AMD) and will drive sustainability and operational management of the city's water resources.

Rodolfo Corrujedo, director of AMD, stressed to local media that the project will address water-related challenges, from supply to sanitation, with the aim of guaranteeing a safe and efficient water future for Durango.

Infrastructure projects in the city of Durango

One of the first areas to benefit from the National Water Plan's strategic drinking water projects is the northern state of Durango. The national government is working with the state government to deliver as many as 39 projects that, together, will provide quality drinking water, reduce the need to extract groundwater from a number of wells, improve agricultural efficiency and prevent flooding.

The projects include the construction of a new dam, storage tanks, aqueducts, a treatment plant and changes to irrigation practices, with the initial phase of the plan focused on the municipal capital, also called Durango.

In total, projects across Durango state are expected to be allocated €320 million (7.3 billion pesos) over the course of President Sheinbaum's six-year term

Water treatment plant for city residents

The construction of the Guadalupe Victoria water treatment plant (also known as El Tunal) will treat water from the dam of the same name, using technologies developed by the Mexican water commission, Conagua. The treated water will deliver clean water to hundreds of thousands of residents in the state capital.

The general director of Conagua, Efraín Morales, told media: "This plant is part of a series of water projects that are being worked on hand in hand with the state government."

Mexico's president, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, visiting the site of the plant in March, writing on her X social media page, said: "We visited the construction site of the Guadalupe Victoria water treatment plant, which will provide quality water to the city of Durango. We announced that this year construction will begin on the El Tunal II dam to guarantee water of quality and quantity for the region."

The plant will treat up to 1,100 litres of water every second and will be complemented by a pumping station and two aqueducts – one of 10.5 kilometres and one of 7.7 kilometres – that will conduct the water to two storage tanks. From these tanks the water will be sent to the city of Durango.

The total cost of this phase of the project is estimated at approximately €65 million (1.5 billion pesos).

Clean water to solve a fluoride problem

Once the plant is operational it is expected that six groundwater wells in the city will be closed immediately, with another 23 expected to follow at later dates. The groundwater wells suffer from fluoride and arsenic contamination and require high levels of energy for extraction. The closing of the wells and the supply of water from the plant will not only have health benefits, it should also allow for aquifer and groundwater regeneration.

El Tunal II, a second dam on the Tunal river

Local government has signed off on an agreement to change the use of land ahead of the construction of El Tunal II, a second dam on the Tunal River.

Talking to local media after the announcement was made, municipal president, Bonifacio Herrera Rivera, stressed that the dam would supply water to 60 per cent of the capital's population and would cost approximately €176 million (four billion pesos).

Other water infrastructure projects in Durango

Irrigation

Another feature of the National Water Plan is to promote a National Technification Program in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture. One of the core aspects of this plan is to address irrigation practices and to make a more efficient use of water in the countryside, while producing more food.

While this plan is nation-wide, locally an irrigation plan will look at how to make better use of water to benefit food producers in Durango and Coahuila. One proposal under consideration is the use of treated wastewater for use in irrigation of agricultural land.

Cleaning rivers

Another core aspect of the National Water Plan is to engage communities, businesses, and local governments in projects to clean rivers to help cleanse them of pollution.

More water works in the pipeline

Morales told media: "It is a commitment of the Government of Mexico to continue working for the well-being of Durango families and, also, to work so that we guarantee the human right to water for all citizens of Durango and the entire country. We are going to continue working very closely with the governor and with the municipal presidents. And many important water works are coming for all of Durango."

Among these works is an assessment of what works need to be carried out as a priority in Durango. These include developing water treatment plants in all the municipalities of Durango, in conjunction with the local authorities. There are plans to address the efficiency and sectorisation of the water distribution network, with the aim of achieving 100 percent coverage of the urban area with drinking water services.

Sewage and sanitation

Part of the AMD project's agenda is the 'safe conduction of sewage', which mirrors the water supply efficiency drive by aiming to achieve 100 per cent coverage of the urban area in terms of drainage services, to ensure the total capture of wastewater generated by homes and to avoid leaks that can contaminate the local environment.