Dear MEL Topic Readers,
One of the world’s biggest cities may be just months away from running
out of water
Founded by Aztecs in the 14th century, Mexico City is one of
the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The population of
Greater Mexico City is around 22 million, the world’s sixth-largest
metropolitan area. It is located in the Valley of Mexico at an altitude of over
2,200 meters, where there is no natural drainage outlet for the waters from the
mountainside. The city has been constantly sinking as much as 50 centimeters annually
on average because of excess water extraction from underground. So, during the
rainy season between June and September, the city suffers from flooding. During
the dry season between October and May, the city has very little rain, and this
season in particular has been very dry, and no less than 90% of Mexico City is
in severe drought as of February. As a result, the supply of running water has
been unstable for the last few months and is expected to be reduced further until
the rainy season. If the upcoming rainy season brings less water than usual
like the last season, the city is going to suffer severe water shortage for a
long time.
Read the article and learn what causes such water shortages and how
people are coping with the situation in this major metropolitan city.
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