On Tuesday, officials from Mexico and the United States announced that they reached an accord mandating Mexico to supply a designated minimum volume of water each year to the United States throughout the ongoing five-year cycle. The impetus for this agreement included persistent negotiations and pressure, including threats by then President Donald Trump to impose a 5% tariff on Mexican imports should Mexico fail to increase its water deliveries.
According to the new terms, Mexico will provide no less than 350,000 acre-feet of water annually to the U.S. during the current five-year treaty span. For context, an acre-foot of water is the amount necessary to cover one acre of land with one foot of water.
This commitment to a guaranteed annual minimum marks a notable adjustment from Mexico’s obligations under the 1944 Water Treaty. Previously, the treaty required Mexico to deliver a total of 1.75 million acre-feet of water over every five years, averaging 350,000 acre-feet annually. However, the U.S. had expressed concerns that Mexico's water deliveries were uneven within the cycle, often accumulating a debt in the early years that adversely affected Texas farmers before the total quota was fulfilled later.
As part of the updated arrangement, the United States will reciprocate by providing Mexico with increased water supplies from sources located further west along the shared border, thus rebalancing the allocation between the countries.
Mexican government entities including the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Environment, and Agriculture issued a joint statement confirming the agreement with the United States. The statement emphasized Mexico's readiness to assure the delivery of an agreed-upon annual minimum quantity but notably did not specify the exact amount. The statement read, “Mexico confirmed its willingness to guarantee the delivery of an annual minimum quantity agreed to by both countries.”
U.S. officials hailed the agreement as a significant achievement, underscoring its importance to water security and agriculture. However, within Mexico, the pact remains a sensitive topic, particularly among farmers in northern states who are currently enduring drought conditions. In the state of Tamaulipas, located along the border with Texas, local farmers have recently reported that insufficient water has forced them to abandon planting crops during this season.
The finalization of this new water delivery commitment followed a phone discussion between President Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. In December prior, President Sheinbaum had indicated that Mexico would increase water deliveries to address the accumulated water debt under the existing treaty obligations.