Toward a contextualized research agenda: Governance challenges of the wastewater treatment policy in Mexico and the role of subnational governments

Abstract

Wastewater treatment is failing worldwide. Like many parts of the world, Mexico and Latin America continue to face significant challenges associated with the implementation of wastewater treatment plant (WTP) policy. Research has identified that wastewater treatment challenges are related to governance failures. To address these challenges, international organizations have proposed approaches such as Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and decentralization. However, these governance approaches have not achieved the intended outcomes and from a scholarly perspective, new frameworks have been developed to understand the context of governance challenges. Yet, an analysis based on Scopus and Web of Science shows that academic research employing such contextual approaches to the WTP policy in Mexico is still scarce. Against this background, the objective of this focus article is to reflect on the current governance challenges of the WTP policy in Mexico and to propose some areas of research that can provide new insights that support the development of a policy tailored to the Mexican context. The few research that has used contextual approaches demonstrated that subnational governments have a key role in the WTP policy in Mexico. Building upon this finding, I encourage the employment of contextual frameworks and the development of interdisciplinary research analyzing the role of subnational governments in the WTP policy. This type of research can provide relevant insights that could help to improve wastewater treatment not only in Mexico but also in other countries with similar governance structures and challenges, as is the case in Latin America.

Review of water scarcity assessments: Highlights of Mexico's water situation

“…This review of water law was expected to include an integrated set of regulations that not only recognize the human right to clean water and encompass other interconnected human rights. These included the right to a healthy environment, access to sufficient food, preservation of cultural identity, and assurance of good health (Casiano Flores, 2023; Lemos Figueroa et al, 2018).…”

“…This situation highlights a dearth of commitment to meeting the country's international obligations concerning water management and access (García‐Searcy et al, 2022). As a substantiation of this claim, the law fails to address the rights of indigenous peoples, allows private involvement in water and sanitation services, neglects the recognition of community systems, and grands CONAGUA extensive functions for water management, consequently resulting in restricted citizen involvement (Casiano Flores, 2023; Ochoa‐García & Rist, 2018).…”

Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation to Investigate Diffuser Outlet Factors in Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactors Treating Wastewater

“…For example, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), the Japanese government's policy agency in charge of environmentrelated policies, has been implementing a program since 2011 called the Breakthrough by Dynamic Approach in Sewage High Technology Project (B-DASH) [13]. In terms of international cooperation and policies, international organizations such as the United Nations and the OECD have been promoting integrated water resources management (IWRM) as an approach to address water resource challenges [14].…”

Energy Transitions in Yunnan Province Based on Production Function Theory

“…This is where broad strategies confront the complexities of regional specificities, economic contexts, and localized socio-ecological conditions [7,8]. The success of all commitments on climate change often hinges on the subnational entities-cities, provinces, and regions-which are crucial in transforming broad climate objectives into tangible and sustainable actions [9,10].…”