Mexico City Launches Innovative Rain Garden to Tackle Water Challenges
Mexico City, March 19 – In a significant move to address its historical water challenges, Mexico City has inaugurated the country’s largest rain garden in Santa Úrsula Coapa. The project, officially opened by Mexico City Head of Government Clara Brugada Molina, marks the beginning of a new hydrological model aimed at combating both urban flooding and water scarcity, especially in anticipation of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
During the inauguration, Brugada Molina emphasized that the rain garden is more than just a green space. “Today we see a system. It is not just a garden where water infiltrates; it is not like any other garden. Yes, it is a green garden with plants, and that is wonderful, but what is underneath is valuable, and underneath we have a system composed of storm tanks in different parts of the area,” she stated.
A Historical Struggle with Water
Brugada Molina contextualized the city’s ongoing struggle with water, dating back 700 years when it was built upon lakes. “The conquest began a process to make Mexico City a place that was in permanent dispute with water. And that meant drying out Mexico City, and today we suffer two fundamental problems: water stress, water scarcity, and also floods when it rains. And even more so, we are in a stage of climate change,” she explained. She highlighted that the new system is a change in water management, focusing on infiltrating rainwater rather than allowing it to flow into large pipes, thereby helping to restore the city’s hydrological balance.
The system is designed to infiltrate millions of liters of rainwater, directly addressing both flooding and scarcity. “What we are inaugurating today is the rainwater harvesting system and this rain garden, the largest in the country. Not because we see a garden that we could say is small, does it mean that is the dimension it infiltrates. No, look, in this garden alone, in this small garden alone, one million three hundred thousand liters of water infiltrate when it rains per day,” Brugada Molina detailed. The project represents an investment of 22 million pesos and is set to benefit more than 40,000 inhabitants.
Collaboration and Community Impact
José Giovani Gutiérrez Aguilar, Mayor of Coyoacán, praised the coordination with the Head of Government, emphasizing that such collaborations transcend political differences to improve the quality of life for residents. He highlighted public works such as drainage, lighting, and repaving, which will have a lasting impact beyond the 2026 World Cup. Gutiérrez Aguilar also underscored the active participation of local residents in Santa Úrsula.
José Mario Esparza Hernández, Secretary of Comprehensive Water Management, introduced the innovative “solid water” technology used in the sustainable rain garden. This technology involves mixing a special material with soil, which then absorbs rainwater and transforms it into a gel-like substance. “This makes the water stay longer; it does not evaporate, nor will it go away, but it remains in the soil, and that benefits the plants,” Esparza Hernández explained, noting that this allows for greater water retention and reduced irrigation needs. The system, featuring underground modules, regulates and infiltrates liquid, aligning with the “sponge city” model.
World Cup as a Catalyst for Sustainable Development
Brugada Molina also stressed that these projects are part of Mexico City’s preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, viewing the event as an accelerator for long-term social and environmental initiatives. “For us, the World Cup is an accelerator of works, works that will last for the population for a long time, that solve problems, and that is why we think that a different World Cup, a social World Cup, a World Cup of family coexistence, a World Cup with full rights, a World Cup with fair play and a just society is what characterizes us,” she affirmed.
Further plans include mobility improvements, such as the modernization of the light rail system, which will be named “Ajolote” (Axolotl). Brugada Molina also announced environmental projects in Xochimilco, including the creation of an Axolotl sanctuary in the Xochimilco Ecological Park, aiming to revitalize the city’s lacustrine heritage.
Source: IMER Noticias
