Mexicali loses significant amount of water

Mexicali water system loses a fifth of the liquid due to spills, a college investigator found.

Professor Margarita Gil Samaniego Ramos, a researcher with the School of Engineering at the Mexicali campus of the Autonomous University of Baja California, disclosed the results of research by a group of students and professors.

According to the study, 19.86 percent of the water distributed locally gets lost through operations and infrastructure deficiencies.

The group evaluated Plant Number One of the Mexicali system and found every resident consumes 289.5 liters a day, well above the recommended 150 liters by the National Water Commission. This high level of consumption is caused by the habit of leaving faucets opened for long periods of time and the washing of curbs.

“We need water to produce energy, and to produce energy, we need potable water, so there is a relationship between both resources,” she said. “As we have inefficient systems, emissions are generated to our environment, so we need to optimize pumping systems to reduce such emissions as they affect quality of life for our population.”

Gil Samaniego made a series of recommendations that include the use of efficient equipment, substitution of water meters and installing energy-conserving appliances in homes.