Mexico City unveils US $127M in drainage system upgrades to tame flooding

The Mexican government is investing 11.2 billion pesos (US $642.6 million) in waterworks nationwide as part of flood mitigation efforts, the head of Mexico’s Water Commission (Conagua) Efraín Morales shared on Monday.

An investment of 2.2 billion pesos ($126.6 million) is funding six main projects across eastern Mexico City and the neighboring México state to improve drainage capacity in the metropolitan zone’s most flood-affected areas. The infrastructure is expected to be fully operational in approximately two weeks.

The municipalities expected to benefit most from the upgrades are Nezahualcóyotl, Los Reyes La Paz, Chalco and Valle de Chalco in México state, as well as the Mexico City borough of Iztapalapa. The upgrades are expected to allow for the drainage of 23,000 liters per second.

“The projects that are already finished have been a great help during this rainy season,” said Morales. “They have helped us to drain the water much faster than in previous years.”

The upgrades come after two consecutive years of heavy June rainfall in the capital. Following historic flooding in June 2025, the Comprehensive Water Management Ministry (Segiagua) reported on June 30 that Mexico City received 241 millimeters (mm) of rain in June — well above the historical average of 126 mm for the month and surpassing the previous June 2025 record of 232 mm.

The government is also constructing a new collector to resolve the recurring flooding in Chalco and Valle de Chalco using microtunneling methods to minimize traffic disruptions. Approximately three kilometers are already in place, with the remaining 500 meters expected to be completed by October.

The collector will replace the existing temporary pumping equipment and will be operated entirely by gravity, according to Morales.

The water plan for eastern Mexico City and México state includes approximately 110 infrastructure projects this year. Additional drainage works still need to be carried out in certain areas facing recurring flooding issues due to ground subsidence, including Santa Martha, Peñón Viejo and along the Mexico-Texcoco highway, Morales acknowledged.

With reports from La Jornada, El Economista and El Universal