Groundwater Management in Mexico Property Rights, User Participation, and Energy Management Approach

1
Groundwater Management in Mexico Property
Rights, User Participation, and Energy Management
Approaches

• Christopher Scott
• International Water Management Institute
• c.scott_at_cgiar.org

2
Groundwater Crisis in Mexico

• One hundred of Mexico's principal aquifers are
  overexploited, up from 38 in 1975.
• In the state of Guanajuato, which has over 12 of
  the country's wells, 16 of 19 aquifers are
  overexploited and static water levels are
  dropping on average 2 m/year.

3
Groundwater Boom and Overdraft in Guanajuato State

• High productivity and forward-linked export
  agriculture.
• High capacity (100 hp), high lift (60 m).
• Falling static water levels (2 m/year).
• Furrow irrigation, limited drip.

4
Efforts to Control Overdraft

• Historical bans on new wells - largely
  ineffective.
• Current programs to register wells with an annual
  volumetric concession.
• Formation of aquifer management councils (COTAS).
• Rural Energy Law.

5
Historical and Existing Bans
6
Creating GW Property Rights

• National Water Commission responsible for titling
  and registering all wells with an annual
  volumetric concession
• Groundwater rights are separate from land and are
  transferable
• Concessioned wells receive energy subsidy up to
  concessioned volume - enforcement difficult.

7
Titling in Mexico Has Been Slow
8
Groundwater Management Councils (COTAS)

• 14 COTAS formed
• State support
• Little user participation
• Tension with CNA
• No linkage with energy agency CFE

9
User Participation

• COTAS must play a role in titling, eg, through
  responsibility and supervision of group
  concessions.
• Energy and water services are being contemplated,
  but will need to demonstrate technical
  competence.
• Time is short...

10
Energy Supply and Pricing

• Users behavioral change required, in addition to
  regulatory (concessioning) and participatory
  (COTAS) approaches.
• Supply manipulation options unfeasible
• restrictions on new connections
• caps on capacity or amperage, and
• reductions in hours of power supply
• Pricing options...

11
Rural Energy Law (2002)

• All power connections for wells require proof of
  concession title.
• Energy tariff fixed at Mex 0.30 (US 0.0316) per
  kWh upto annual energy consumption limit based on
  concessioned volume.
• Increasing slab tariffs eliminated.

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Policy Implications

• Groundwater management is a key challenge that
  requires regulatory and participatory approaches
  coupled with changes in demand behavior of
  pumpers.
• The current well concessioning and titling drive
  is important and should be continued.

13
Thank You!