Municipal wastewater treatment plants in Mexico: Diagnosis and public policy challenges

Abstract

The purpose is to identify the main challenges of municipal wastewater treatment policy in Mexico, through an original descriptive statistical analysis, distinguishing data from the country, as well as by states and municipalities. Five challenges are identified: good intentions; abandonment of treatment plants; operation and preventive maintenance; the vacuum of responsibility, and the priority of treatment in state agendas. The conclusion is that the professionalization of local water and sanitation agencies is key to aspiring to materialize good intentions that will be written in the new General Water Law.