THE BLUE RING: CLAIMING WATER SANCTUARY IN MEXICO CITY

McKinley Futures Studio

University of Washington College of Built Environments

Professor Rob Hutchison and Jeff Hou

Team: Roxanne Glick, Kelsey Pierson, Yang Su

Selected for inclusion in: Two Sides of the Border: Reimagining the Region Yale School of Architecture and associated book

Beneath an ancient lakebed lies Mexico City’s main source of potable water, its aquifer. Due to high demand, this source is being depleted faster than it can be replenished. The ghost of the lake leaves behind a trace by means of a highly infiltrative loop along its perimeter that hydrates the aquifer below, designated “The Blue Ring”. While the city’s wealthy lie on the ancient lakebed with the most infrastructure to water, the poorest communities remain on the outskirts without means of access. However, these are the very communities that sit along The Blue Ring. This project aims to empower these impoverished people as guardians of this valuable land that serves the whole city. A series of water sanctuary nodes along The Blue Ring collect water from the mountains at subbasin bases to provide drinking water and graywater reuse, while linkages between redirect blackwater toward The Blue Ring for treatment and infiltration.

The first phase of the project is to relieve dependence on the aquifer by providing immediate access to areas with poor water infrastructure. By connecting the existing tributaries from the mountains to flow to various subbasin bases along The Blue Ring, communities can have a place to see where their water comes from and celebrate its sacred nature. The water gathered at these communal hubs is collected, treated, and pumped back to the community it serves for drinkable water and graywater reuse.

The second phase aims to replenish the aquifer through means of infiltration. Blackwater from the city is redirected to points along The Blue Ring, giving opportunity for green infrastructure to mitigate and treat blackwater and stormwater. The treated water is then infiltrated into The Blue Ring and is ready for potable use.

XOCHIMILCO WATER COMMUNITY: A PILOT DISTRICT

Xochimilco is home to Mexico City's largest remaining lake and has some of the city's poorest access to water though it receives a high amount of rainfall. This proposal harvests the water from Rio Santiago that currently flows into a large vaso, flood control and infiltration infrastructure. By instead channeling this water through a drinking water treatment facility, the new Water Temple, recycling it as it is used in the surrounding neighborhoods and returning it in a steady stream for blackwater treatment and finally one third of the site reserved for urban agriculture and infiltration - inspired by Xochimilco's traditional Chinampa landscape. This process demonstrates the proposed engineered closed-loop system. 

Xochimilco Water Community is a pilot demonstration project so highlights educational features. The flexible grid building structure accommodates blackwater-treating Living Machines. On the northern half of the site, the buildings are used for a community service and community center and on the southern half for technical education. Both functions can take advantage of the living systems around them.

CHAPULTEPEC AQUEDUCT: HEART OF THE CITY

As the culminating celebration of a return to sustainable water system in Mexico City, the Chapultepec Aquaduct is an urban monument inserted into the heart of the city. It helps relieve dependence on the aquifer extraction by giving those communities leverage to collect and treat their own water for drinking, and provide opportunities for infiltration to recharge the aquifer. 

Historically, the center of the city (now the Zocalo) received its water by an aqueduct flowing from what is now Chapultepec Park. Therefore, a modern, accessible aqueduct is proposed to be built along this same path, but reversing the flow to be treated and dispersed to the city in Chapultepec Park. 

The capture starts at Plaza Tlaxocoque, which is right on axis with the Zocalo. This plaza was once the southern boundary of the city and understood to be where the original aqueduct terminated. Rainwater is collected in a monumental tower, flowing down to the aqueduct. In urban conditions, the aqueduct collects rainwater run-off from rooftops as it flows. The aqueduct passes through the hillside of the Chapultepec Castle, and finally intersects the ground and begins to submerge. This point of submersion intersects the Blue Ring, which at that point is constructed wetlands for increased infiltration. The aqueduct terminates beneath the Monumental Source of Neza, where they city's original source of water is located. The structure dives underground, flowing the water into a reservoir to be treated and dispersed to the rest of the water district. This treatment cenote becomes a place for people to see where their drinking water is collected, as well as a space of reverence.

In conclusion, by emphasizing and celebrating how water is collected and treated, the city might heal its long-time tortured relationship to water, and give communities the leverage to provide for themselves.