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Water today faces a critical paradox: while it becomes an increasingly scarce resource, its management remains marked by fragmentation, legal inertia, and a limited understanding of the hydrological cycle. Mexico, like many other nations, stands at a historic threshold that demands a profound rethinking of how it conceives, explores, and manages its water resources.
Phenomena such as drought, overconsumption, pollution, and uncontrolled urban growth are pushing water availability to its limits, revealing that traditional supply and management models are insufficient in the face of the magnitude of the challenge.
The myth of water abundance
Globally, 97% of the planet’s water is saline, while only 3% is freshwater. Of this tiny fraction, 77% is frozen in glaciers and polar ice caps, 22% is stored in underground aquifers, and barely 1% corresponds to surface water available in rivers, lakes, and wetlands. Although these figures are well known, they continue to be ignored by most institutional approaches.
The apparent abundance of water has led to inefficient public policies, uncontrolled exploitation, and chronic postponement of structural reforms. In Mexico, aquifer overexploitation has been a constant for decades. It is estimated that more than 60% of the water consumed in the country comes from underground sources, many of which are in critical states of depletion.
The traditional hydrological model is based on the logic of surface basins, where rainfall feeds rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, and water is then distributed for various uses. However, this model is no longer sufficient to address the scale and depth of the current problem. In response, new approaches have emerged, such as the concept of mega-basins and the exploration of ultradeep groundwater, which integrate advanced geological prospecting technologies, satellite sensors, and deep drilling methods to identify water reserves located more than a thousand meters below ground, many of them in arid or hard-to-reach regions.
The ultradeep groundwater option
One of the most innovative proposals in this field is the exploration and potential reform to enable the use of ultradeep groundwater in Mexico. These waters, known for their stability, low contamination levels, and significant volume, could represent a strategic solution to the structural scarcity faced by large regions of the country.
Currently, the National Water Law does not explicitly address access to or the legal framework governing such sources, which prevents their regulated use. A reform in this regard would not only open new supply alternatives but also modernize the regulatory system based on the latest scientific and technological evidence.
Technologies developed in countries such as the United States, Australia, and Russia have already proven effective in detecting and utilizing these types of reserves. Equipment such as GeoResonance, particle resonance systems, thermal gradient sensors, satellite imaging combined with geospatial software, and targeted drilling techniques have been successfully used to identify submarine freshwater discharges, confined deep flows, and remote aquifers that were once considered inaccessible. The technical feasibility exists, but political will and an adequate regulatory framework are still lacking to integrate these tools into the national water policy.
When comparing groundwater technologies with other conventional solutions—such as desalination plants, large aqueducts, or dams—it becomes evident that the former offer considerable advantages in terms of cost-effectiveness and implementation time. For example, a desalination plant requires multimillion-dollar investments, consumes large amounts of energy, produces brine that must be properly managed, and often poses environmental risks. In contrast, the exploration of deep water can be carried out gradually, with lower environmental impact and visible short-term results, especially when complemented by new storage, treatment, and distribution technologies.
Water management in Mexico also faces a complex institutional challenge. Various federal, state, and municipal entities intervene in a fragmented manner throughout the water cycle, with poor coordination, overlapping responsibilities, and a lack of effective oversight mechanisms.
The root of the problem is not only technical, it is one of vision. Narratives continue to focus exclusively on scarcity, when the true issue lies in inefficient management, lack of investment in infrastructure, outdated regulations, and irrational use of the resource. Leaks in urban distribution networks have reached alarming levels, surpassing 40% of pumped water in some cities, while major industries and agricultural zones continue to extract water at unsustainable rates, often without supervision or measurement. Paradoxically, while entire regions face severe water crises, there are still incentives that promote waste. Without a structural reform of the legal framework, a redistribution of decision-making power, and transparent, participatory, data-driven water governance, the system will continue to deteriorate.
The current water crisis must be understood as an opportunity to modernize our legal framework and promote a fair water transition—one guided by equitable access, rational use, and the protection of water sources as core principles. In light of the imminent global risks—where water scarcity is already ranked among the most severe and likely threats of the 21st century, according to the World Economic Forum—time to act is running out.
Water security must be addressed not only as an environmental issue but also as a matter of social equity and strategic planning. Exploring, protecting, and responsibly utilizing groundwater, reforming the laws that regulate it, and reconfiguring the institutional model of water management are essential steps to confront the national water crisis.
This article was developed by specialist Yolanda Villegas and published as part of the seventh edition of Inspenet Brief February 2026, dedicated to technical content in the energy and industrial sector.