The “Reconnecting with Water” program, driven by the Monterrey Metropolitan Environmental Fund (FAMM) in collaboration with Monterrey Water and Drainage Services, aims to significantly reduce losses in the distribution network and strengthen the city's water security. Currently, over 40% of the water circulating in the system is lost due to leaks, irregular connections, and measurement failures. Faced with the growing challenge of guaranteeing water supply in urban areas, Monterrey is betting on an innovative strategy that focuses on the efficiency of the existing system. Against this backdrop, the initiative proposes targeted technical interventions that will allow for the recovery of around 3.5 million cubic meters of water per year, a quantity equivalent to almost 2.5 days of the metropolitan area's total consumption. Technology and management to recover the resource. For Eduardo Ortega Williamson, director of Monterrey Water and Drainage, this program represents a shift in approach to water management. This alliance makes “Reconnecting with Water” one of the first platforms in Mexico where the private sector directly participates in the reduction of non-revenue water. The first interventions will be carried out in three priority macro-sectors: Félix U. Gómez, the San Nicolás Center, and Magnolia, selected based on technical criteria such as infrastructure age and loss levels. These tools will allow for more precise identification of critical system points and timely action. “It's about a new way of facing the water challenge,” stated Ortega Williamson, highlighting the importance of collaboration between the public sector, private initiative, and civil society. Multisectoral collaboration for sustainable impact. The program has an investment of over 30 million pesos, contributed by FAMM, Arca Continental, and Fundación FEMSA, in addition to the backing of the State Government through the Ministry of the Environment. It is estimated that water waste in these areas can be reduced by up to 35%. From Eduardo Ortega Williamson's perspective, these types of initiatives not only improve operational efficiency but also lay the groundwork for a more resilient water management model. In a context of increasing pressure on resources, optimizing what already exists becomes a key strategy to guarantee access to water in the future. Thus, Monterrey is moving towards an approach where innovation, collaboration, and smart resource management become fundamental pillars to face the water challenges of the coming decades. Instead of depending solely on new supply sources, the strategy focuses on optimizing the already available resource through the use of technology and smart monitoring. The project includes actions such as network sectorization, pressure control, leak detection and repair, as well as advanced measurement and real-time monitoring systems.
