Mexico's Ricardo Monreal unveils book on new water law reforms

Deputy Ricardo Monreal Ávila, leader of Morena's parliamentary group, presented his book “La nueva legislación por el agua” in the Chamber of Deputies. The work surveys the historical, legal and institutional evolution of Mexico’s water regime and explains the recently approved General Water Law, which entered into force on 11 December 2025.

Monreal emphasized that the law restores water as a public good and a human right guaranteed by article 4 of the Constitution, aiming to end the previous era of privatized concessions and “water millionaires.” The book cites cases of concession hoarding and proposes measures to recover unused permits, regulate concessions and invest in hydraulic infrastructure – estimated at at least 100 billion pesos annually.

Six months after implementation, Monreal reported no major conflicts, noting that some concessionaires have voluntarily returned unused water rights and that the state is reclaiming them. He announced that the regulation of the law will be published soon and that the upcoming 2027 federal budget will seek to strengthen water‑related spending.