As extreme drought grips the Rio Grande Valley and with the nearest water reservoir only 15% full, it is unlikely Mexico will pay in full the water debt owed to the United States by the Oct. 24 deadline.

Mexico owes about 326 billion gallons of water to the U.S. — enough to supply roughly 3 million households for a year, or to fill nearly half a million Olympic-size swimming pools.
And the situation is catastrophic for both sides of the river.

Experts say it is impossible for Mexico to make up that difference in the next four weeks.

“They don’t have it in their system to give to us, unless there was a major (rain) event,” said Jim Darling, chairman of the Rio Grande Regional Water Planning Group, also known as Region M.