The new general water law, passed in December 2025, was presented by the government as a relevant regulatory advance for Mexico. One of the main arguments is the recognition of the Human right to waterand mandated a historically opaque system of concessions and clearer management of the state over an increasingly scarce strategic resource.
The reality we live in Mexico: more frequent droughts, overexploited aquifers, aging infrastructure and a deep one Inequality in access to drinking water and to hygieneundoubtedly supported the need for reform.
However, as is often the case in national water policy, the central problem lies not with the intent of the law, but with its practical feasibility and the lack of consensus when it was passed. This did not listen to the voices of experts who, although they agreed on the need for reforms, disagreed with many approaches that they viewed as, at best, more political than technical.
The new legislation expands the powers of the National Water Commission (CONAGUA)which must strengthen, update and carry out the management and monitoring of the concessions National Water Register, monitoring of catchments and aquifersand, among other things, apply a stricter sanctions regime against irregular use of the resource.
All this requires a robust institutional capacity with sufficient and well-trained technical staff, territorial presence, modern monitoring systems and an efficient administrative structure. However, these new responsibilities come against the backdrop of ongoing budget constraints that significantly limit their implementation.
Let’s analyze the numbers. For 2026, the Federation’s spending budget approved nearly 37 billion pesos for CONAGUA. This corresponds to around 0.1% of GDP. According to the UNAM Water Network, investments in water should be between 1.5% and 2% of GDP, around 350 billion pesos per year, to meet the country’s basic and strategic needs.
We are very far away from these numbers and with more powers we will move even further away. The reduction in CONAGUA’s budget in this administration has been drastic: it is almost 46% less than the Commission’s budget in 2024 and 45% fewer resources than in 2018.
The paradox is obvious: the law is strengthened, but the institution responsible for enforcing it is weakened.
Adding to this imbalance is the way the law was passed. The legislative process took place as part of an accelerated approval process or fast track There was a lack of broad dialogue with directly affected sectors as well as expert voices calling for a more in-depth analysis.
farmers and agricultural producers, mainly from the north of the country, and the Bajío complained that their concerns were not being listened to and that the reform was pushed forward without sufficient technical discussion about its impact in this area. The protests in front of the Chamber of Deputies, the road blockades and the tractor mobilizations reflected a social unrest that cannot be minimized. Regardless of the position for or against the law, the message was clear: a reform of this magnitude required greater deliberation and consensus building.
The lack of resources and the lack of dialogue create a double risk. On the one hand, the incompetence of CONAGUA Effectively monitor concessions, combat illegal mining or monitor compliance with laws This can lead to discretion, administrative delays and local conflicts. On the other hand, the perception of regulation without technical or financial support can increase mistrust between water users and the state, especially in regions where the landscape critically depends on the resource.
Current experience shows that legal frameworks alone cannot solve the water crisis. Without investment in infrastructure, modernizing irrigation systems, reducing leakages, water treatment and reuse, and strengthening institutions, the most ambitious laws risk remaining on paper.
The new General Water Law is based on correct diagnoses and raises legitimate objectives, but its success will depend less on its formulation than on the political will to provide the water sector, and in particular CONAGUA, with the resources, skills and time necessary for its realization. Without this, Mexico will embark on a new reform path that will not result in sufficient, safe and equitable water for all.
** The statements published in this column are the responsibility of the person who writes them and do not necessarily correspond to the editorial line of Infobae México, respecting the freedom of expression of experts.
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