Mexico's capital often floods during the rainy season, but paradoxically, it's also running out of water. A large and growing population, along with crumbling infrastructure and the effects of climate change - are increasingly putting a strain on the city. We meet the army of scientists, activists and urban planners trying to solve this problem - and rethink Mexico City’s relationship with water - including the scientist using plants to clean sewage water and the architect who has designed a park that absorbs excess rainwater. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter/producer: Craig Langran Series Producer: Jon Bithrey Editor: Tom Bigwood Sound mix: Hal Haines (Image: Alejandro Alva in Cuautepac wetland area, Mexico City, BBC)
People fixing.
People fixing the world.
Welcome to People Fixing the World from the BBC World Service.
You are in the right place because for the next 23 minutes, we're turning away from the doom and gloom and instead talking about positive things that are changing our world for the better.
Hi, I'm Mayra Anubi, and this week I'm taking you to North America to find out how one country is cleverly working to stop flooding and help people get regular access to clean water.
Water is important, but you don't need me to tell you that.
What you might not know is that water covers 71% of the Earth's surface.
So ideally, there should be a lot of it to go round, right?
Well, that's not exactly the case.
The UN estimates around 2 billion people.
That's roughly 1 in 4 people don't have regular access to clean water.
But it's not just about having less water.
You see, having too much of it can also be destructive.
Flooding often destroys property, damages the environment, and threatens lives.
These issues with water have been exacerbated by climate change, and they tend to disproportionately affect people living in lower and middle income countries, countries like Mexico.
Mexico is a dynamic country with everything from high mountains, deep canyons, vast deserts and dense rainforests.
But the country has a paradoxical problem.
It has too much water when it rains, but not enough clean water for people to use.
And that's where our solutions today come in.
It's about projects adapting homes and design public spaces to prevent flooding and help more people get access to clean water.