TAKING A LITTLE WATER THAT IS LEFT. TELEMUNDO ACRE -- ANCHOR VANESSA HAS THE STORY. >> Reporter: IN THE MIDDLE OF -- JUST OUTSIDE OF MEXICO CITY IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ESCAPE THE SCORCHING HEAT. ONCE A TOURIST DESTINATION FOR YEARS. SHE AND HER FAMILY WILL VISIT THE TEMPLE AND GUADALUPE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LAGOON. AFTER TWO YEARS OF SEVERE DROUGHT THE LANDSCAPE HERE HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED. EVERYTHING IS DRY. NOT A TRACE OF WATER. 2023 WAS THE DRIEST YEAR IN MEXICO SINCE 1941. CURRENTLY, ABOUT 70% OF MEXICO IS IN DROUGHT. ACCORDING TO THE ENTITY THAT REGULATES WATER IN MEXICO MORE THAN 60 MILLION PEOPLE, HALF OF THE ENTIRE COUNTRY POPULATION, DO NOT HAVE DAILY ACCESS TO WATER. WE ARE IN A MOMENT IN TIME WHEN IT COULD BE REALLY BAD IF WE DON'T START PUTTING UP STRATEGIES FOR A BETTER WAY OF MANAGING WATER. >> IF WE CONTINUE THE WAY WE ARE, UNTIL TODAY, IT WOULD BE -- AND WE WOULD ARRIVE TO THE MOMENT IN WHICH WE HAVE NO MORE WATER. >> Reporter: EXPERTS JOINING A GROWING CALL, WARNING THAT MEXICO CITY COULD BE MONTHS AWAY FROM RUNNING OUT OF WATER. SO WE WENT DIRECTLY TO THE PRESIDENT. WE ASKED IF HE HAD A STRATEGY TO COMBAT THE ONGOING WATER CRISIS. INSTEAD HE INSISTED -- SO WE ASKED HIM SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THESE REGIONS IN THE SOUTH OF MEXICO WHERE THEY SAY THEY HAVE NO ACCESS TO WATER. [ SPEAKING GLOBAL LANGUAGE ] >> Reporter: THIS IS -- LOCATED AND CHOP US WHERE YOU CAN FIND ABOUT 30% OF THE COUNTRY'S WATER SUPPLY. ACCORDING TO THE WATER PLANT 700,000 RESIDENTS HAVE NO DIRECT ACCESS TO WATER. SOME POINTING TO FACTORIES LIKE THIS ONE. A COCA-COLA PLANT THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN PERMISSION TO EXTRACT WATER FOR ALMOST 3 DECADES. WHERE OVER 1 MILLION LITERS OF WATER IS COLLECTED ON A DAILY BASIS. >> FAMILIES DRINK COLA SEVERAL TIMES, NOT DURING THE WEEK. >> Reporter: THIS DR. HAS BEEN STUDYING THE EFFECTS OF DIABETES. HE SAYS THE WATER SCARCITY HAS LED FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY TO RESORT TO SUGARY DRINKS. IN FACT, THIS STAGE HAS BEEN CONSIDERED THE PLACE THAT CONSUMES THE MOST COCA-COLA IN THE WORLD. >> WE FOUND THAT MANY BABIES, YOUNGER THAN SIX MONTHS OF AGE, ARE GIVEN COCA-COLA AND BOTTLES. THIS IS A VERY BAD START OF LIFE. >> Reporter: AND 2020 THE CITY COUNCIL APPROACH THE NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION TO REVOKE ALL CONCESSIONS THAT WERE GIVEN TO COCA-COLA. BUT THE PETITIONS WERE DENIED. AFTER WE REACHED OUT TO COCA COLA FOR AN INTERVIEW THEY SENT US THE STATEMENT SAYING, WE RECOGNIZE THE WATER AXIS CHALLENGES IN SAN CRISTOBAL AND FOR NEARLY A DECADE WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO HELP IMPROVE WATER ACCESS. WE ALWAYS ABIDE BY LOCAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS. WE ALSO AGREE THAT TOO MUCH SUGAR IS A GOOD FOR ANYONE. IN MEXICO, OVER 45% OF OUR BROAD PORTFOLIO OF PRODUCTS ARE LOW OR NO SUGAR. MEANWHILE, IN -- THE COMMUNITY GETS TOGETHER TO PRAY FOR RAIN. >> VANESSA OKA JOINS US FROM MIAMI AT HER TELEMUNDO CENTER. VANESSA, WE HAVE BEEN COVERING THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN MEXICO IN JUST OVER A MONTH. HOW BIG OF AN ISSUE WILL THE WATER SHORTAGE BE FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS THAT ARE CAMPAIGNING NOW? >> Reporter: IT WILL BE IMPORTANT. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WORST DROUGHT IN RECENT DECADES THE LACK OF WATER WILL BE A CENTRAL ISSUE FOR THE CANDIDATES COMPETING TO SUCCEED. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY IT WILL BE A WOMAN PRESIDENT. THE FIRST CONTENDER IS -- WHO LEADS THE POLLS. SHE PROPOSES A 30 YEAR PLAN FOR SUSTAINABLE WATER IN MEXICO. SHE IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST. AND AUTHOR OF THE -- NOBEL PRIZE REPORT. HER PRIMARY CONTENDER PROPOSES TO EXPAND WATER DISTRIBUTION INFRASTRUCTURE TO BUILD SECONDARY NETWORKS AND TO REPAIR WATER LEAKS. WATER WILL BE KEY IN THE NEXT ELECTION. MANY CITIZENS ARE REALLY ANGRY. HUNDREDS HAVE TAKEN TO THE STREETS OF MEXICO TO PROTEST THE WATER CRISIS. JUST FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS FOR THEM, ACCORDING TO THE MEXICAN CONSTITUTION ACCESS TO WATER IS A HUMAN RIGHT IN MEXICO.
