US refuses to share water with Mexico under 80-year-old treaty

US officials announced that they would reject a request to share water with Mexico, citing the neighbor's slow transfer of water to the US, affecting agricultural activities.

The US State Department said on March 20 that the US had for the first time rejected a request to provide special water to Mexico under an agreement signed between the parties, according to The Guardian. The water was planned to be transferred from a river in the US to the Mexican city of Tijuana, along the border with the US.

"Mexico's continued water shortages under the 1944 water-sharing treaty are devastating U.S. agriculture - especially farmers in the Rio Grande Valley," the State Department's Latin America office said in a statement on March 20.

The US-Mexico border at Eagle Pass, Texas is separated by a barbed wire fence.

The two countries signed a water-sharing treaty in 1944, under which Mexico would send water from the Rio Grande Basin to the United States, and the United States would send water from the Colorado River to Mexican cities. However, the transfer of water from Mexico has recently been hampered by drought in the north of the country. This has slowed down Mexico's water transfers to the United States and reduced the amount of water.

American farmers and lawmakers blame Mexico for affecting agricultural activities, such as forcing a sugar mill in Texas (USA) to close last year due to lack of water supply.

The treaty outlined water delivery dates every five years. Faced with delays in the US receiving water, the two sides signed an agreement in November 2024, under which Mexico will negotiate with the US to deliver water earlier.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on March 20 that the issue was being addressed by relevant agencies in both countries. “Part of the problem is that water resources are running low,” she said.

Tijuana, which borders the US state of California, is a manufacturing hub in Mexico and relies on the Colorado River in the US for 90% of its water needs. The river is also experiencing low water levels due to drought and increased demand.

Texas farmers are concerned that cotton, citrus and other crops could be negatively affected if they don’t receive regular water supplies from Mexico. On March 19, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced a $280 million relief package for farmers in the Rio Grande Valley region of South Texas.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/my-tu-choi-chia-se-nuoc-cho-mexico-theo-hiep-uoc-da-ky-hon-80-nam-18525032107114049.htm