Overview
- Alicia Bárcena, Mexico’s environment minister, presented the federal plan backed by President Claudia Sheinbaum in a joint event with water and environmental agencies.
- The 2026 priority list targets recovery of the Ciénegas de Lerma and the El Ahogado wetland and includes building or repairing wastewater treatment plants and urban sewage collectors.
- The plan adds riverbank repair, large-scale reforestation, stronger water monitoring, and tighter checks on industrial discharges to reduce persistent pollution.
- Officials said the Lerma–Santiago basin stretches 1,360 kilometers across nine states and influences daily life for more than 21 million people through city water, farming, and wildlife.
- Early work in 2025 removed about 623 tonnes of waste, cleared over 40 kilometers of riverbed, and restored 2,140 hectares of forest, with inspections prompting closures and company training.