A water harvesting system at the North Male Penitentiary Sanctions Enforcement Center.
In Mexico City, prisoners shower, each one using around nine litres of water in just one minute. Toilets flush, with each using at least six litres. Water is used to wash plates; clean clothes; mop dormitory floors; and to water plants that supply the prison kitchen.
Every day, a prison uses thousands of litres of water, with huge environmental and financial costs. And yet the alternative – to allow prison conditions to deteriorate – occurs in far too many countries worldwide. But here in Mexico City, with the help of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), prison authorities have found another way. Their solution has had benefits for public finances, the environment, and the future employment prospects of prisoners: water harvesting.
Back in July 2022, UNODC installed a water harvesting system at the North Male Penitentiary Sanctions Enforcement Center. Rainwater is captured on the dormitory roof and channeled into a pipe, leading to a first filter that removes impurities. The water is then stored in containers with a secondary filter, pumped, and passed through a final filter before use. The treated water is used for washing clothes, cleaning communal areas, and bathing.
As Mexico City is situated in a semi-arid part of the country, collecting and using all water possible is particularly important, helping to tackle the frequent water shortages.
The impact did not end there. The installation was used to launch training for prisoners and prison staff on the social, economic and environmental benefits of rainwater harvesting systems for urban living environments, conducted in collaboration with the Penitentiary Work Unit of the Undersecretariat of the Penitentiary System of Mexico City. All participants gained certification as qualified installers of water harvesting systems, offering a new path to employment upon release.
"Learning how to install these water systems is a new way of earning a living and also growing as a person,” said Matías*, a participant in the first training. “Now I can prove that I have experience and qualifications in this field when I go looking for jobs in the future."
Armando, another participant in the original training, is today responsible for operating and maintaining the rainwater system. He says that the training and his new responsibilities allow him to see himself as a productive individual and to have new plans for his life upon release: he wants to help communities struggling with water scarcity.
Social reintegration is a focus of UNODC’s work on prison and penal reform worldwide. When prisoners are offered opportunities for rehabilitation and supported to reintegrate, for example through vocational training such as this, it reduces their likelihood of reoffending.
The training also helped increase participants’ understanding of the climate crisis, including the need to save water. “This course helped me to be aware of the importance of the rational use of water. It is also important to be actors in addressing climate change,” said Ms. Brenda Martínez, a prison officer who took part in the training.
Beyond the intended outcomes of the training, it had knock-on positive effects. “I had never attended a training course like this before,” said Santiago*, whose opinion of his own abilities was low when he entered prison. “I realized I have more skills than I thought.”
For prisons to fulfil their role in ensuring safe, secure and humane custody and in avoiding reoffending, adequate conditions and opportunities for rehabilitation are essential. The UN Standard of Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners – known as the Nelson Mandela Rules – outline the internationally recognized minimum conditions and safeguards in this regard. UNODC is custodian of these rules and works in more than 50 Member States worldwide to support their practical implementation.
But the climate crisis puts these minimum prison standards in jeopardy. With climate disruptions rendering extreme weather conditions such as heatwaves and drought more likely and frequent, all of us are more vulnerable – but prisoners are some of the least able to cope due to their incarceration.
“Those who are in prisons often have no escape from increasingly extreme weather conditions and natural hazards, and they are also deeply affected by related disruptions such as price shocks and food and energy shortages,” said UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly, speaking on Nelson Mandela Day last year.
Enhancing climate change resilience in prison systems is now a priority for UNODC. Its intention is to equip prisons systems with concrete strategies on climate disruption preparedness and mitigation, and to do so in ways that enhance the prospects of ‘green’ prisons that make greater use of environmentally friendly management practices while, at the same time, supporting the rehabilitation and social reintegration of prisoners.
The water harvesting initiative is not a one-off in Mexico. In the same year, also in Mexico City, workshops were held at the Santa Martha Acatitla Women’s Center for Social Reinsertion on solar water heating systems. The training was approved by the National Council for Standardization and Certification of Labor Competencies and allowed all participants to receive certification.
The training is making a tangible impact in prisoners’ lives: today they are planning the installation of solar panels in the areas of the prison where children live with their mothers, improving conditions for these important and vulnerable prison residents, enhancing climate resilience and offering the prisoners opportunities to use their skills in preparation for release.
Back at the men’s prison, Emiliano*, who also took part in the training, was profoundly affected by what he learned and has big dreams for the future. “With this certification, we will be able to expand our job options after release. I will be able to have a job or a business that will help stop climate change.”
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*Names changed
This story is the final part of a series about climate resilience in prisons. Read the first story on food security in Sri Lanka, and the second on solar power in Pakistan.
The way we treat prisoners is key in making our communities safer and protecting human rights for all. UNODC works with over 50 Member States worldwide to advance non-custodial measures, improve prison management and conditions, and support social reintegration. Find out more.
