Dr. Nicolás Pineda Pablos is a political scientist and researcher at the Colegio de Sonora, in Hermosillo, and one of Mexico’s foremost experts on urban water provision. Here, Dr. Pineda rings us up to speed on Hermosillo’s current water situation. Hermosillo, the state capital, is a Sonoran Desert city with close to one million people and faces profound climate-related challenges: a swiftly warming and drying environment, ongoing drought, and the threat of ever-more severe storms. Mexico’s north and northwest are currently experiencing some of the worst drought conditions in recorded history, with reservoir levels down by as much as 70 or 80% in some regions.

Dr. Pineda is part of a diverse group of concerned citizens and experts called Hermosillo Cómo Vamos? – Hermosillo, How are We Doing? –  working together to provide research-based solutions to this hairy problem. Dr. Pineda talks about all of this and much more, including the question of whether Hermosillo is facing a so-called Day Zero scenario, in which the city becomes unable to provide a basic reliable supply of potable water to its citizens.