The proposed new General Water Law is sparking outrage across the country because:
- The well remains yours, but the water is NOT:
The new law states that all groundwater belongs to the State. You only use it through a renewable concession, not as a permanent right. - Concessions can NO LONGER be sold, inherited, or transferred: 🔹You can no longer sell your well “with the water included.”
🔹If you sell your property, the water is not transferred to the buyer.
🔹If you die, the concession expires.
🔹If you stop using it, it reverts to the government.
🔹This affects thousands of farmers and ranchers who use their wells as collateral.
- Possible reductions in volume in dry areas, meaning in overexploited aquifers, the government may:
🔹Lower the extraction volume
🔹Temporarily suspend well operations
🔹Prioritize domestic use over agricultural use
🔹Arid states like Chihuahua, Sonora, and Durango have raised concerns about this. - Increased surveillance, stricter penalties, and zero tolerance for illegal wells:
🔹Mandatory water meters
🔹Satellite monitoring
🔹More frequent inspections
🔹Higher fines
🔹Immediate closure of unregistered wells
🔹There could even be criminal penalties for illegal extraction. - If you sell your ranch, the well isn’t worth the same anymore. The holes are still there, but:
🔹The water rights are NOT transferred.
🔹The new owner must apply for their own water concession.
🔹The government can approve or deny it.
🔹This lowers the value of agricultural land.
Why is the state of Chihuahua so outraged by this initiative? Because this law directly impacts:
Its agriculture (corn, pecans, forage crops), its cattle ranches, its overexploited aquifers, the value of its land, and the state’s autonomy to manage water. That’s why some legislators are already talking about a “tax strike.”
The reform aims to regulate water use, but for those who depend on wells, agriculture, and waterwheels, it means losing control, value, and historical rights.
Source: Amor por México
