Mexico City’s water supply from the Cutzamala system is shut off

Water supplies to the Mexico City metropolitan area from the Cutzamala reservoir system will be suspended for six hours Wednesday evening as water authorities repair a “sudden” leak in one of the system’s control valves.

To limit the impact on residents, the repair work will start at 8:00 PM on Wednesday and end at 2:00 AM on Thursday. The National Water Commission (Conagua) said this in a statement. The Cutzamala system supplies about 28% of the capital’s water, but the closure will affect 12 of the 16 boroughs and 16 municipalities in the state of Mexico.

“Work to repair the damaged component and restore operation will require a total shutdown of the system for approximately six hours. During that period, water supply to the Valley of Mexico metropolitan area will be completely suspended,” Conagua said.

The repair work will be carried out on one of the control valves of pump number 4 in plant 5 of the Cutzamala system.

For its part, the Water Basin Organization of the Valley of Mexico (OCAVM) has urged residents to use water more efficiently as the city faces shortages and temporary supply reductions due to upcoming infrastructure repairs.

What is the Cutzamala System?

The Cutzamala system is one of the country’s largest water supply sources. It is a complex network of reservoirs built between the late 1970s and 1994 and supplies water from the Cutzamala River to the metropolitan areas of Mexico City and the Valley of Toluca.

The system is based on seven reservoirs, six pumping stations, 322 kilometers of canals and tunnels and a large water treatment plant. The system transports water from the Cutzamala Basin to more than 1,100 meters in elevation, delivering nearly 15 cubic meters of water per second to the vast population of the Valley of Mexico.

Although considered an impressive feat of engineering in Mexico, the 40-year-old system has been ravaged by the effects of time and earthquakes, which have caused damage to the pipes. Studies show that more than 40% of the system’s water is lost due to leaks. In addition, the system’s reservoirs have low capacity due to extreme heat and low rainfall.

In March, the system’s largest reservoir, Valle de Bravo (with a capacity of 394.4 million cubic meters), was completed. at the lowest level since 2016at only 28% vol.

Storage levels at Valle de Bravo and the rest of the system’s reservoirs are expected to slowly increase as the rainy season begins.

With reports from Excelsior