La Quebradora Hydropower Station (Mexico)

Circular and resilient water management in urban areas

agosto 2025

ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability

Iztapalapa, one of Mexico City’s 16 boroughs, is one of the city’s most densely populated and vulnerable neighbourhoods, with a population of 1.835 million (2020). Its high-altitude subtropical climate (860 mm of annual rainfall) leaves it prone to frequent flooding caused by heavy rains from the neighbouring Sierra de Santa Catarina mountain range, whilst it suffers from chronic water shortages due to overcrowding and a lack of urban planning. Although water is supplied from other catchment areas, infrastructure failures result in high distribution losses, forcing many residents to rely on water delivered by tankers – a costly and unreliable temporary solution.

La Quebradora Water Park (or Utopía Atzintli) is a pilot project in ‘urban water acupuncture’, designed to transform an unused plot of land into a multifunctional public space. Developed by the municipality of Iztapalapa, Mexico City’s public spaces authority and the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), this 3.8-hectare park combines flood management, groundwater recharge and wastewater treatment with the creation of recreational and educational spaces for the community. The project was launched in 2013, with detailed design completed in 2017 and construction beginning in 2018. Despite setbacks due to insufficient funding and political changes, international recognition (notably the LafargeHolcim Global Gold Prize) helped to revive the project, which was inaugurated in 2021.

Solutions implemented

• Development of a public park and community facilities : The park includes a library, a swimming pool, a bookshop, workshops, leisure areas and a community centre, thus providing a vibrant hub for local residents.

• Stormwater drainage channels : These channels divert rainwater from neighbouring areas to the park, where it is filtered through screens and absorbed by permeable basins, thereby helping to recharge the water table.

• Rainwater collection and storage : Through the use of terraces, wetland systems and cisterns, the park collects and stores water for later use.

• Wastewater treatment and reuse : An anaerobic biological treatment plant and an underground wetland treat wastewater from a nearby drainage channel. The treated water is reused to meet the park’s daily needs and to supply the pavilion’s facilities, where local residents can come to fill their water containers.

• Sustainable landscaping : Replacement of water-intensive lawns with dry landscaping requiring no irrigation and with native or endemic tree species requiring small amounts of water.

Key results

• Flood mitigation and groundwater recharge : The initiative increased water catchment capacity by 35 per cent, resulting in an infiltration rate of approximately 68,000 m³/year, recharging groundwater to a total capacity of 36,000 m³. Improved filtration and sedimentation enhance water quality, promote aquifer recharge and ensure long-term security of water supply.

• Stormwater management and rainwater harvesting : The 3.8 ha catchment area collects runoff from the mountains, recharges the underlying aquifer and harvests approximately 86.4 m³/day of rainwater for park maintenance and toilet flushing.

• Accessible public spaces and urban facilities : The project benefits 28,000 residents, doubling the amount of public space available in Iztapalapa from 1.13 to 2.97 m² per person and attracting around 7,000 visitors per week.

• Increased vegetation cover : The number of trees in the area has tripled thanks to this initiative to plant native species.

Climate and environmental impacts

• Climate change mitigation : Localised groundwater recharge and rainwater harvesting systems offer a sustainable alternative to large-scale, costly and high-carbon ‘grey infrastructure’ designed to transport water over long distances from Cutzamala.

Replacing water tankers with community water points also helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality.

• Climate adaptation and resilience :

  ₋ Flood risk mitigation : Permeable basins, artificial wetlands and cisterns enable local management of rainwater, thereby reducing the risk of flooding in critical areas such as Ermita Iztapalapa Avenue, a major thoroughfare for motorists and public transport.

  ₋ Tackling water scarcity : Rainwater collection and treatment systems provide non-potable water for irrigation and sanitation. Permeable basins help to recharge aquifers, enabling the sustainable use of groundwater by local communities.

• Biodiversity : Footpaths offer multiple routes across the 3.8-hectare site, allowing wildlife to move freely throughout the area. The park is also home to a wide variety of endemic or locally adapted plant species, which has helped to triple the tree cover in the region.

Success factors

• Values : The project embodies the principles of hydro-urban acupuncture, which advocates targeted, hyper-local and small-scale interventions capable of systematically improving water management without requiring changes to town planning schemes or large-scale redevelopment. It also draws inspiration from elements of the ‘sponge city’ concept, transforming public space into hydrological and educational infrastructure : a place that is at once aesthetic, functional and educational, where water regains its place at the heart of the urban landscape.

• Connections :

  ₋ Physical connections : The park channels urban runoff from the Sierra de Santa Catarina towards infiltration basins, thereby creating an integrated network to recharge local aquifers and supply water to public drinking fountains.

  ₋ Social connections : Thanks to a participatory design model, the project has enjoyed consistent support from all stakeholders, strengthening ties between the local community, civil society, academia and local authorities.

• Investment : La Quebradora demonstrates the feasibility of a funding model for circular and resilient water infrastructure through multi-level investment, drawn from national and local public funds as well as private donors. By combining stormwater management infrastructure with high-quality public spaces, La Quebradora presents an attractive investment opportunity for public authorities and other stakeholders.

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