Assessment of vulnerability to water shortage in the municipalities of Mexico City

Abstract

Water issues in Mexico City have been severe during the last years due to population increase, forcing external water sources to meet water demands. This research aims to evaluate the evolution of water vulnerability in the sixteen municipalities of Mexico City in the years 2005, 2010, and 2015. This vulnerability has increased in the last decades due to the combination of several problems such as lack of maintenance in the water infrastructure (eg. water leaks), aquifer overexploitation, uncontrolled city growth, rainwater and wastewater expelled from the basin without the intention of using it. For the vulnerability assessment we used a combination of indicators that respond to its three dimensions: 1). Exposure (urbanization, population, and economic units), 2). Sensitivity (reports of leaks, shortages, and poor water quality) and 3). Adaptive capacity (wastewater treatment, water availability, and GDP). The municipalities identified with very high vulnerability in the three years of study (2005, 2010, and 2015) were Iztapalapa, Gustavo A. Madero, and Tlalpan joined these during 2015. In contrast, those with the lowest vulnerability were Milpa Alta, Magdalena Contreras, and Cuajimalpa; the latter stepped down from having Low to Very Low vulnerability between 2005 and 2010-2015. Between these two classifications, we have the Municipalities that reveal high, moderate, and low vulnerability. The results highlight that all municipalities must prevent water leaks to achieve increasingly sustainable management of the liquid, especially Gustavo A. Madero, Iztapalapa, and Tlalpan. Suggesting that harmonized action among all of them will help accelerate goal achievement. Still, citizen action will play a leading role in maintaining care and water usage levels when promoted and encouraged adequately. At the end of the lecture, the reader would be able to discuss if a series of social elements (like the indicators proposed in this work) construct water vulnerability or depend on the quantity of water the cities receive. Also, they will understand their role in water management and have factors to evaluate vulnerability in other regions.