Question

It nearly has. In 2007, a giant sinkhole swallowed a large swath of a busy street. At Revolution Monument, a water pipe installed over 75 years ago now stands near nearly 30 feet above ground. Given Mexico City's history as a "floating city" in the middle of a lake, it's no surprise that water is what vexes most urban planners here. When the Spaniards arrived to conquer the great Aztec Empire, the mode of transportation was not horses but canoes. Today, the city sits essentially on a bowl of pudding. Jose Miguel Guevara, the general coordinator for water supply and drainage projects at Conagua, calls this basin a giant "saucepan," with no natural exit for the torrential rains that fall each year. But these drainage problems and the corresponding threats of catastrophic flooding belie one of the great ironies of its urban plumbing. When it comes to water, the city is also facing the kind of shortages that plague the rest of the globe. Mexico City, which sits at an altitude of over 7,300 feet, must pump water up 3,000 feet to reach residents. Last year it had to ration water after one of the worst droughts in six decades. The drainage program includes plans for treatment plants to turn runoff into clean water for use by farmers.

Answer 1

Mexico City faces significant challenges with both water shortages and flooding due to its history as a floating city and current infrastructure issues. Efforts are being made to address these problems through advanced water treatment and reuse. The city's water issues reflect a mix of historical expertise and contemporary urban demands.

Step-by-step explanation:

Mexico City's water issues are closely tied to its historical development. Once the site of the vast Aztec city of Tenochtitlán, lauded for its advanced water management and urban planning, the area now confronts significant water-related challenges. Water shortages and infrastructure problems plague the city due to its reliance on overstrained aquifers and inefficient water distribution, resulting in leakage and water loss. Its history as a floating city also contributes to its modern-day issues with flooding and subsurface subsidence, which affects its buildings and urban layout.

The ancient Aztecs were adept at managing water for their civilization's needs, constructing intricate systems of aqueducts and chinampas (agricultural islands) to sustain large populations with intensive agriculture. However, today's Mexico City faces the irony of having to manage both excesses in the form of flooding and scarcity of freshwater resources. Despite being rich in historical water management strategies, the metropolis must now contend with the drainage problems while also addressing the need for fresh water across its elevation.

Environmental factors, historical infrastructure, and the demands of a large urban population converge to create a complex scenario for Mexico City, a situation mirroring water issues faced globally. With plans for treatment plants to turn runoff into water that can be reused, the city is taking steps to address these challenges, reflecting a blend of historical knowledge and modern technology.