Water Under Pressure: Hermosillo and Tucson Lead the Tech Race to Survive the Desert

As 2025 unfolds, the cities of Hermosillo, Sonora, and Tucson, Arizona—two of the most vital urban centers in the Sonoran Desert—are engaged in a parallel battle: securing water amid an escalating water crisis. Worsened by climate change and urban expansion, the scarcity has forced both municipalities to innovate rapidly, adopting reuse, efficiency, and desalination technologies that could redefine water management in arid regions of North America.

In 2024, Hermosillo expanded its greywater collection and treatment systems by 22% across residential and commercial areas, according to Agua de Hermosillo. Additionally, three pilot desalination projects were launched along the Sonoran coast with support from the Sonora Institute of Technology and funding from the North American Development Bank (NADB), aimed at supplying future residential and industrial growth in the capital. Meanwhile, the University of Sonora advanced its research in nanomaterials and smart membranes designed to optimize reverse osmosis, a key technology in seawater treatment.

Tucson, for its part, has solidified its international reputation as a leader in water reuse. In 2024, over 90% of the city’s treated wastewater was reused, largely thanks to the Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation system, which was upgraded with smart sensors and AI platforms to anticipate leaks, optimize pumping, and reduce losses. The University of Arizona’s Water Resources Research Center reported an 18% boost in energy efficiency at treatment plants due to the deployment of floating solar power in treatment ponds—an innovation poised for replication across the U.S. Southwest and northern Mexico.

Both cities have also begun to collaborate more closely. In October 2024, Hermosillo and Tucson signed a memorandum of understanding to share climate data, hydrological simulation models, and citizen communication strategies. This cross-border partnership is supported by the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation and the EPA’s Border Water Infrastructure Program. Among the first outcomes of this agreement is the creation of a binational platform to monitor shared aquifers, particularly the system feeding the San Pedro Valley, a critical watershed for both regions.

However, progress is not without challenges. While desalination technologies show promise, they face cost and environmental sustainability barriers. Energy consumption and brine disposal remain contentious issues in both academic and public discussions. Similarly, wastewater reuse continues to carry a social stigma that hampers its acceptance, despite being technically safe for agricultural and industrial use.

Looking ahead to 2025, the key challenge will be scaling these innovative solutions without compromising equity. Hermosillo still has underserved urban areas with intermittent supply and low water pressure, while Tucson struggles with water rate disparities that disproportionately affect Latino and low-income communities. Water sustainability must be both technological and social.

Moreover, stronger interstate and international coordination on financing is urgently needed. While institutions like NADB and USAID have begun funding strategic projects, a long-term cooperative framework between Mexico and the U.S. must be institutionalized—one capable of aligning local, academic, and private sector efforts under a unified desert water agenda. Water can no longer be managed as a local resource; it must be understood as a priority binational policy.

Hermosillo and Tucson now have the opportunity to prove that even in the driest regions, with political will, applied science, and international cooperation, it is possible to secure access to water and build resilience against an uncertain climate future. The story of these cities could become not only a model for other arid regions across the continent but the new frontier of binational water leadership.

Written by: Editorial Team