Floods in the north and northeast of Mexico City require new methods for rapid removal of rainwater to prevent overflow of canals during times of heavy rains, says Agustín Breña, an expert in water engineering at the Autonomous Metropolitan University. “The flooding problem is one that won't be resolved in the short term, which is why we need to think about strategies for the medium and long terms,” Breña told Tierramérica.

In 1910, the metropolitan area covered 27 square kilometers, by 1960 it had jumped to 382 square km, and in 2000 it reached 1,350. By next year it is expected to have a total area of 1,475 square kilometers – which will need a bigger water infrastructure.