In August 2022, Juan Ignacio Barragán, director of Water and Drainage of Monterrey, warned about the possibility that if the problem of sanitary drainage pipes in Monterrey was not adequately addressed, black water would start to emerge on the streets due to the lack of capacity of the facilities. Subsequently, Barragán confirmed that this prediction had come true, creating a new challenge in the metropolitan area, with the overflow of sewage.
The situation has become critical in various municipalities, as Barragán had warned, highlighting the proliferation of buildings without the proper sanitary drainage system, which aggravates the dilemma. This scenario has affected the environmental quality of the region, adding a new problem to the pollution already faced by the residents of Monterrey.
Barragán mentioned that the drainage pipes in areas like downtown Monterrey are old and do not meet the necessary standards, which worsens the situation. The overflow of black water, in addition to posing a health risk to residents, has become a nuisance for local businesses, as occurred in the Valle Hermoso neighborhood of Guadalupe and other sectors.
In light of this situation, the Congress of Nuevo León has requested municipal administrations to urgently address the leaks of black water affecting the population due to the lack of response from the responsible entity. The exhortation aims for local governments to handle repairs in case Water and Drainage of Monterrey cannot or refuses to do so, in accordance with the Drinking Water and Sanitation Law for the State of Nuevo León.
In this regard, financing of 2.184 billion pesos has been approved for Water and Drainage in the fiscal year 2025, allocating 498 million specifically for the repair of the sanitary drainage. This measure seeks to tackle the crisis occurring in the metropolitan area of Monterrey due to the collapse of the sanitary drainage system and to prevent the situation from worsening over time.
