
Mexico, US clinch Colorado river water deal - report

The water sharing deal that Mexico and the US have over the Colorado river was set to be renewed and expanded Wednesday following months of negotiations.
Through the extension, which has been named Minute 323, the US government will commit to invest US$31.5mn in order to enhance Mexico's water infrastructure - and thus improve the use of the river's water supply by reducing leaks and other problems, the AP reported.
The water saved through the improved infrastructure would then be shared by users and projects in both countries.
According to the report, Mexico is set to lay out a strategy on how to reduce its consumption for when the river's water levels run too low. The US would also be required to come up with a shortage plan of its own.
The new agreement will be in force until 2026.
The continuation of a program launched in 2014 to restore the river delta that entailed the release of a series of pulse flows from Mexico's Morelos dam is not included in the agreement, according to the report.
Neither the Mexico or US chapters of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), nor the Mexican government, have publicly commented on the new agreement.
The path leading to the new agreement
The water sharing deal is part of a treaty between Mexico and the US that dates back to 1944. In 2012, the countries agreed on new rules for the sharing and managing of water from the Colorado River basin, which serves some 30mn people in both nations. That agreement expires at the end of this year.
Under the treaty, Mexico is entitled to use 1.9Bm3/year, while the US uses the remainder of the water. The river's average annual flow is said to be 20Bm3.
Authorities from both countries had been working to secure an extension since 2015. According to press reports, negotiators from the administration of former president Barack Obama were trying to close a deal before Donald Trump took office as they feared the former property tycoon could put the agreement in his cross-hairs.
Earlier this year, Mexican officials expressed concern that a potential decision by Trump to review the agreement could affect the water supply that northern states in Mexico receive from the waterway.
Mexico protests
A group of Mexican farmers from Mexicali, a municipality in Baja California state, are camping outside the IBWC offices in the state capital protesting the expected signing of Minute 323, according to a report by news portal UniEnsenada.
The farmers argue that the new agreement authorizes Mexico to sell some of its Colorado river water supply to the US, a move that is not allowed by the Mexican constitution, and that the deal reduces the volume of water Mexico is set to receive.
According to the protesters, the decision on how to determine when water levels on the river are too low will be in the hands of a committee comprised solely by US officials.
Subscribe to the most trusted business intelligence platform in Latin America. Let us show you our solutions for Suppliers, Contractors, Operators, Government, Legal, Financial and Insurance.
News in: Water & Waste (Mexico)

Mexico to invest US$200mn in damaged water infra in Baja California
Funds are shceduled to be spent this year, according to a request for funds sent to the finance ministry by Conagua.

Business opportunities in 150 Latin American projects
In this document you will find a selection of key advanced-stage projects with commercial opportunities in the electric power, mining and metals, o...
Subscribe to Latin America’s most trusted business intelligence platform.
Other projects in: Water & Waste (Mexico)
Get critical information about thousands of Water & Waste projects in Latin America: what stages they're in, capex, related companies, contacts and more.
- Project: Gravity Water Pipeline
- Current stage:
- Updated:
5 months ago
- Project: Puerto Vallarta international airport expansion
- Current stage:
- Updated:
5 months ago
- Project: Healthy Water for La Laguna
- Current stage:
- Updated:
4 months ago
- Project: Expansion of the El Ahogado Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP)
- Current stage:
- Updated:
6 months ago
- Project: Huexca Combined Cycle Plant (CC Centro)
- Current stage:
- Updated:
6 months ago
- Project: La Laja dam
- Current stage:
- Updated:
7 months ago
- Project: Modernization of Five Generating Units of the Belisario Domínguez Hydroelectric Plant (Angostura)
- Current stage:
- Updated:
7 months ago
- Project: Playas de Rosarito desalination plant
- Current stage:
- Updated:
8 months ago
- Project: Fernández Canyon - Metropolitan Area of La Laguna Aqueduct (Agua Saludable para La Laguna)
- Current stage:
- Updated:
8 months ago
- Project: Construction and rehabilitation of the san antonio de los buenos ptar, in the municipality of tijuana, baja california
- Current stage:
- Updated:
2 years ago
Other companies in: Water & Waste (Mexico)
Get critical information about thousands of Water & Waste companies in Latin America: their projects, contacts, shareholders, related news and more.
- Company: Litoclean Mexico
-
Litoclean Mexico is an environmental engineering firm involved in the development of soil research and decontamination projects, which proposes time- and cost-efficient solution...
- Company: H. XVI Ayuntamiento de La Paz
- Company: Carso Infraestructura y Construcción, S.A.B. de C.V. (CICSA)  (CICSA)
-
Carso Infraestructura y Construcción (CICSA) is a Mexican company belonging to Grupo Carso's infrastructure and construction division. The firm is involved in the development of...
- Company: Comanseraf, S.A. de C.V.
- Company: GEOBIOS Consultoría Ambiental
- Company: Grupo CONSAMIN, S.A. de C.V.
- Company: Cisco Consultores Ambientales
- Company: Aguas Tratadas del Valle de México S.A. de C.V.  (Aguas Tratadas del Valle de México)
-
Aguas Tratadas del Valle de México S.A. de C.V. (ATVM), a consortium made up of Spanish Acciona Agua, Mexico's water infrastructure firm Atlatec, infrastructure solutions compan...