Authority to transfer water to Ecatepec from new Mexico City airport

Between 100l/s and 200l/s of water will be transferred from Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) to the north of Mexico City to Ecatepec in Mexico state, which has suffered frequent water shortages. 

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) said during his Tuesday morning press conference that the wells built to supply AIFA produce a surplus of water. 

“I made the commitment to increase the water volume. We will take water from the wells that were drilled when AIFA was built – there's plenty of water and a surplus,” he said. “I promised to take 100l/s-200l/s to Ecatepec and we have a pipeline.”

AMLO added that Germán Martínez, head of national water commission Conagua, is responsible for the project.

“Germán Martínez is overseeing that, as well as general [Salvador Cervantes] Loza, who is the director of the military engineers. We won't take water for others to do business with it. We'll make sure the valves remain open so that water reaches homes,” he added. 

The president also gave an update on the progress of the start of operations of a pumping station to take water to Monterrey, in drought-stricken Nuevo León state. This will allow the water supply to be doubled to 2000l/s.

“We thought about doing it on Saturday but it will be done today or tomorrow [Wednesday]. The state governor [Samuel García] asked me to do it on Saturday, but I spoke with the technicians and they told me it wasn't feasible. We'll do it this week,” said AMLO.