Surface and Groundwater Quality in the Tula Valley, Mexico

Abstract

Water security in rapidly urbanising river basins is increasingly threatened by untreated city effluents, industrial discharges, and legacy agricultural contamination. The Tula River basin in central Mexico illustrates this issue, absorbing the majority of Mexico City’s effluent while sustaining a heavily exploited aquifer beneath one of the nation’s largest irrigation districts. This study provides an integrated assessment of surface water and groundwater quality throughout the basin, including the Endhó Dam and its associated aquifer. Water quality analysis revealed severe surface water contamination (WQI > 300), driven by untreated sewage and inadequate sanitation infrastructure. Elevated COD, BOD, and nutrient concentrations indicate significant organic loading and eutrophication risk. Near Tula City, arsenic, copper, and zinc were detected at levels posing direct risks to human health. Groundwater quality was comparatively favourable, with 71% of wells recording WQI < 100; however, arsenic exceeded permissible limits more than twentyfold in select wells, attributed to geological sources. The detection of SVOCs in both hydrological compartments confirms cross-compartment contamination. Point-source reduction alone is insufficient for aquifer recovery; comprehensive sanitation strategies and long-term monitoring are urgently required. These findings carry direct relevance for water governance in megacity-dependent basins globally, where urban, agricultural, and geological stressors demand integrated management approaches.