Air pollution in developing countries is a growing concern. It is associated with urbanization and social and economic structures. The understanding of how social factors can influence the perception and the potential impact of air pollution have not been addressed sufficiently. This paper addresses the social vulnerability and exposure to PM₁₀ association and its influence on the air quality perception of residents in Mexicali, a Mexico–US border city. This study used individual variables and population census data, as well as statistical and spatial analyses. A cluster of socially vulnerable populations with high exposure to coarse particulate matter (PM₁₀) was found in the city’s peripheral areas. The spatial distribution of the local perception of air quality varied by the exposure zones of the estimated PM₁₀ concentrations. Respondents living in very high exposure areas perceive air quality as “poor,” contrarily to a worse perception in areas of intermediate and lower exposure to PM₁₀. Proximity to stationary sources of pollution was associated with a poor perception of air quality. Results also indicate that low household income and poor air quality perceived at the place of residence negatively influences the perceived changes in the air quality over time. The knowledge of chronic health effects related to air pollution was scarce in the sampled population, especially in the areas with very high exposure and high social vulnerability. These findings can serve as a support in local air quality management.

In Mexico, water planning is based on the National Water Law, the core of which is Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). The municipality provides wastewater treatment and reuse, and an integrated approach is mandatory for these processes. However, a traditional (non-integrated) management regime has prevailed in water legislation, resulting in pollution and the inefficient use of water. The objectives of this research were to analyze the Mexican legal framework and international guidelines in the use of reclaimed water for agricultural irrigation and environmental discharges, and to evaluate challenges facing reclaimed water in the Maneadero Valley, Baja California, as a case study. Results show that wastewater reuse was implemented in the absence of integrative planning and assessment of the potential impacts on the environment and public health. In addition, gaps between decisions linked to the legal attributes of the relevant institutions were identified. Defined roles across the three levels of authority, transparent and congruent funding, coherent water-quality requirements and the strengthening of stakeholder participation are needed to adopt integrated water resource management for reclaimed water use. The alignment of common goals on public health, environmental protection and agricultural development between authorities and the different sectors is crucial to bridge these challenges.

There is a controversy in groundwater management: some people argue that public participation has decreased efficiency in decision-making, while others believe this process is not executed effectively. Questions about whether public participation results from the context involving influential people, the rules, or the way participation mechanisms were designed need examination. In this study, opportunities, barriers, and challenges of public participation were analyzed in the management of a coastal aquifer affected by marine intrusion in the Maneadero Valley, México. Mixed methods were implemented, involving 28 interviews with key actors and 50 surveys conducted during 2014 and 2017 with groundwater users. Results show that public participation is mainly determined by power differences, lack of continuity in the participatory processes, and the design of the participation mechanisms. State actors have greater decision-making power in integrated groundwater management. In contrast, groundwater users have limited participation in the process of making proposals, and their participation is generally passive. There are limitations to broad, informed, and responsible public participation: examples of these limitations include different levels of information, inappropriate institutional arrangements, failure to disseminate scientific information, lack of spaces to exercise public participation, and absence of political will. Hence, to improve Maneadero aquifer management, it is necessary to decentralize decision-making, integrate technical and non-technical knowledge, generate scientific evidence about water availability, and give a prominent role to stakeholders and users from the initial stages. In addition, internalization and water culture are required. These results can help to guide integrated groundwater management in other arid regions.

Adequate sanitation is essential for health, human well-being, the preservation of water resources, biodiversity, and the full enjoyment of human rights. Sanitation is a human right, and although it is linked to the human right to water (HRW), it has specific characteristics that deserve particular attention. These components are (1) availability; (2) quality; (3) physical accessibility; (4) affordability; (5) acceptability; (6) equality and non-discrimination; (7) government management and inter-institutional coordination; (8) access to information and participation; and (9) environmental protection. These components enable the analysis of other aspects that may not be fully considered from the traditional sanitation approach. This research aims to analyze the context of the realization of the human right to sanitation (HRS) in Mexico, for a future comprehensive assessment. The study was conducted through documentary and national news coverage research. It concluded that there are still significant challenges to realizing this human right in Mexico. Findings suggest that besides the infrastructure and pollution difficulties, there are other problems like physical and economic access to sanitation for the vulnerable population, inequality between urban and rural areas, the lack of maintenance work of sanitation infrastructure, and the lack of effective coordination between the authorities responsible for sanitation.