In his post on Monday, Trump said Mexico still owes roughly 800,000 acre-feet of water under the 1944 River Treaty, which governs how the two nations share flows from the Rio Grande, Colorado River, and Tijuana River. Trump demanded that at least 200,000 acre-feet be released before the end of the year, adding that delays were already putting Texas crops and livestock at risk. “Mexico has an obligation to FIX THIS NOW,” Trump wrote, accusing the country of ignoring its responsibilities.
The treaty requires Mexico to supply a total of 1.75 million acre-feet every five years. For years, Texas farmers and irrigation districts have argued that Mexico chronically under-delivers and forces the U.S. to absorb the shortfall. Earlier this year, Trump said Mexico had provided less than 30 percent of what was required during the previous cycle and floated tariffs if the situation didn’t change.
"Mexico must take care of its water and sewage problem, IMMEDIATELY. It is a true Threat to the people of Texas, California, and the United States of America," he wrote in a Truth post on Wednesday.
Mexican officials have claimed ongoing drought conditions have limited their ability to meet the full quota, though they previously pledged to send 420,000 acre-feet by October.
Trump’s demand comes as the administration continued separate negotiations with Mexico over a massive sewage-flow problem tied to the Tijuana River, which has polluted Southern California communities for years. Back in June, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin and Mexican Environment Secretary Alicia Barcena signed a new Memorandum of Understanding intended to speed up long-stalled infrastructure fixes.
Zeldin called the agreement a “massive environmental and national security win,” saying the sewage crisis had impacted San Diego-area residents for decades.
He said Mexico would obligate the remaining $93 million in “Minute 328” funds and accelerate deadlines for wastewater projects that had been running behind schedule.
Under the MOU, Mexico agreed to complete all outstanding Minute 328 projects no later than December 31, 2027, with some finishing as much as four years early. The United States will resume sending EPA Border Water Infrastructure Program funding for US-side upgrades, including rehabilitation work on Pump Station 1 and collection pipelines, after Mexico committed to begin two priority projects this year.
Trump has combined the water issues and sewage remediation to a larger push for Mexico to meet its cross-border environmental commitments, as Mexican imports currently face a 25 percent tariff, though most goods are exempt under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
