Water-Global Issue884 million people around the world lack access to clean drinking water

Water In Mexico City83% of our blood is made of waterThe body’s most important nutrientMexico city suffers from “groundwater 

overexploitation, land subsidence, the risk of major flooding, the impacts of increasing urbanization, poor water quality, inefficient water use, a low share of wastewater treatment, health concerns about the reuse of wastewater in agriculture, and limited cost recovery”.

Water in Mexico CityThe Federal government is in charge of regulating the use

of water resources, contributing to the financing of investments and supplying bulk water from other basins through the National Water Commission Conagua;

The State of Mexico provides bulk water, treats wastewater and assists municipalities in providing water and sanitation services in its part of Greater Mexico City;

59 municipal governments in the part of Greater Mexico City located in the State of Mexico and one municipality in Hidalgo State are in charge of water distribution and sanitation for their constituents;

the government of Federal District provides water supply and sanitation services to its constituents through its water department; and

two irrigation districts in Hidalgo state are in charge of irrigation with wastewater from Greater Mexico City.

Water in Mexico CityThe State of Mexico and the Federal District initiated a US $2.8

billion Water Sustainability Program in 2007  In parallel, the government of the Federal District launched

a Green Plan which includes water conservation as an important element

 Investments envisaged under both plans include an increase in wastewater treatment, the import of groundwater from irrigated areas North of the city

where the groundwater table increased due to irrigation with wastewater,

the construction of a major new storm water drainage tunnel, increased water imports from an expansion of the energy-intensive

Cutzamala system that pumps water up over more than 1000 meters, and the reduction of non-revenue water (water that has been

produced and is “lost” before it reaches the customer. Losses can be real losses (through leaks, sometimes also referred to as physical losses) or apparent losses (for example through theft or metering inaccuracies) from 36% to 25%.

SituationMexico City

City’s Water Scarcity: •36% of families in Mexico City do not have adequate access to water1.

•This is because its growing population of 21 million is depleting Mexico’s valley aquifer system which provides 70% of its water supply 1.

•This forces low income families to pay up to 25% of their salaries to buy water leaving them trapped in a cycle of poverty which often prevents youth from obtaining an education in order to help their families financially1.

SituationMexico City

Strain on City’s Electric Grid: •During the rainy season, Mexico City suffers from serious flooding problems requiring a significant amount of electricity to pump out this storm water http://www.islaurbana.org/que_es.htm.

•20% of the city’s water supply is pumped from over 78 miles; the amount of energy used to deliver this water supply requires about the same amount of energy needed by a city of 8 million people http://www.islaurbana.org/que_es.htm.

SituationAjusco-Medio in Tlalpan

Developed informally as part of Mexico’s Urban Sprawl

Suffers greatly from a lack of access to water.2 Its occupants are among the last people to receive water from the municipal water supply during times of water scarcity.

They sometimes go 2 to 3 months without access to water and many households are not connected to the city’s water system.

The water quality also varies from household to household due to differences in the piping systems where some allow for grey water or waste water to enter the clean water system

Many households are already equipped with cisterns and families are used to having them hold their water supply for long periods of time to use it for their daily needs. Enrique Lomnitz said, “this is something that people are very used to doing.”

Ajusco Medio

http://ccg2.siap.gob.mx/df/mun_09012_TLALPAN/docu/plandedesarrollo.pdf

Population 59,509 (10% of Tlalpan’s population)

Surface Area: 1.58 square miles (Hoboken is about 2 square miles)

Jalisco Huichol

• Water scarcity is worse in rural areas than in urban because of lack of infrastructure.

• Isla Urbana is working in a community in Jalisco Huichol to supply drinking water to the town so members don’t have to carry it to their homes for long distances from natural water sources.

Solution

Isla Urbana is currently working to address the water scarcity in this low income community with rainwater harvesting systems compatible with piping and tank systems that already exist in most homes. 1

It plans to use this project as a model of the implementation process to be replicated throughout the city and the world.2

Isla UrbanaPartners

• IRRI: A non-profit partner that offers courses on rainwater harvesting to the general public for a fee.

• Ashoka: Ashoka Fellows receive a living stipend for 3 years give and take to allow them to focus full-time on their institutions. They also provide global We also provide a global support network of their peers and partnerships with professional consultants.

• Solucion Pluvial: An organization created by the founders of isla urbana that designs and installs rainwater harvesting systems for clients where ap ortion of the profits go to Isla Urbana.

• Temo Fundation: Temo Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to carrying out environmental and humanitarian projects. It helps Isla Urbana build rainwater harvesting systems as well.

Isla UrbanaFunding

Water for life best practices award, Water for Life 2005-2015: attached pdf

Benefits to Individuals and community

• Addressing Water Scarcity: Capable of providing water to a household for five months of the year.

• Improving Employment: Local plumbers and construction workers are trained to build these rain water capture systems

• Supporting local businesses: Materials are sourced locally and Isla Urbana is developing relationships with stores to ensure that supplies are available for maintenance.

• Saving money from not having to buy water

Metrics

No SYSTEMS INSTALLED 905No OF PEOPLE HELPED,10,862No OF LITERS HARVESTED35,800,00