Mexico to increase water supply to the US, but implementation will be delayed.

Mexico Plans to Address Water Deliveries Amid Trade Tensions with the U.S.

Mexico City – In response to increased pressure from the United States regarding water-sharing obligations, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that her administration is preparing to fulfill its water delivery commitments, although immediate action is not anticipated. This development comes in light of U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to impose a 5% tariff on Mexican imports if the country does not expedite water deliveries as stipulated by a long-standing agreement.

Traditionally, Mexico has struggled to comply with its water delivery requirements to the United States due to ongoing drought conditions and infrastructure limitations. Under the terms of a 1944 treaty, Mexico is obligated to provide approximately 1.7 million acre-feet of water to the U.S. over a five-year period, averaging around 350,000 acre-feet annually. The treaty encompasses water from six tributaries that flow into the Rio Grande River.

During her statement, President Sheinbaum revealed that Mexico intends to propose a significant water delivery this month, with a follow-up delivery planned for the upcoming years. She expects this proposal to be discussed in detail during a virtual meeting with U.S. officials scheduled for Tuesday.

In recent statements on social media, President Trump highlighted what he referred to as Mexico’s accumulated “water debt,” which he claims has serious implications for Texas farmers dependent on this water resource. He expressed his dissatisfaction with the lack of immediate response from Mexico and emphasized the urgency for Mexico to release 200,000 acre-feet of water before the year-end. The conflict over water deliveries has heightened tensions between the two nations, reminiscent of previous disputes over trade and environmental resources.

This is not the first instance in which Trump has threatened tariffs as a means of negotiating this water-sharing issue. He first raised the possibility of tariff imposition earlier this year and accused Mexico of failing to adhere to the terms of the agreement.

Mexican authorities have previously navigated similar tensions and have often engaged in negotiations to reach mutually acceptable resolutions. President Sheinbaum expressed optimism regarding the prospects of an agreement, reaffirming her administration’s commitment to delivering the water owed from earlier years. As this situation unfolds, both countries face the challenge of balancing water resource management with the pressures of international relations and trade.

As discussions progress, stakeholders will be closely monitoring developments to ascertain how these negotiations may influence not just U.S.-Mexico relations but also the broader agricultural landscape in the United States.