Better management, reduced consumption essential to resolving Hermosillo’s water crisis

Hermosillo is running out of water, with its reservoirsand aquifers drying up.

But while climate change and drought are at play, a panel of experts organized by the nonprofit Hermosillo ¿Cómo Vamos? says the real problem is poor management.

"Drought is definitely a problem, but we should stop using it as a justification. The shortage of water in Hermosillo is a result of poor administration," said Nicolas Pineda Pablos, a researcher with the Colegio de Sonora. "With drought or without drought, we misuse our water resources."

He and others dismissed investments in costly measures like desalination, as the governor has suggested, at least in the short term. Instead, they said Hermosillo should use promised funds to update its infrastructure, fix leaks, use rain and treated wastewater and better monitor the city's water consumption.

And ultimately, they said, Hermosillo must drastically reduce its water consumption, which is more than twice what it should be for a city this size.