The capital of Mexico is a dynamic, historic, and water-stressed metropolis—the second-largest city in the western hemisphere, plagued by too much water one moment, not enough the next. Nearly 29,000 households in Mexico City lack running water inside their homes, and many more suffer from unreliable (and unaffordable) water service. For many disadvantaged residents, the proverbial ‘Day Zero’ is already here. In the face of a climate and infrastructure emergency, CDMX residents are experimenting with water supply alternatives, such as domestic rainwater harvesting programs supported by the state.

Building on a decade of research with local innovators, we use Mexico City as a social laboratory to examine key questions of labor, technology, and governance in urban water alternatives. If infrastructure is the manifestation of social relations, we ask: how do we replumb the city for a more just and sustainable future?