Mexico City’s Love of Street Food Meets a Greasy Sewer Crisis

Heavy rains expose how culinary delights are clogging the capital’s drainage system

During what officials are calling the most severe rainy season in decades, large swaths of Mexico City were inundated with floodwaters. While the deluge itself was unprecedented, city engineers point to an unexpected culprit behind many of the blockages: the abundant fat that drips from the city’s countless taco stalls, restaurants, and bustling markets.

“The sheer volume of grease entering the underground network is overwhelming the capacity of our pipes,” said a spokesperson from the municipal water authority. “When the rain comes, the already‑clogged drains can’t handle the extra runoff, and streets quickly turn into rivers.”

Local authorities have launched a series of emergency measures, including intensified cleaning operations and public awareness campaigns urging food vendors to adopt proper waste‑disposal practices. The goal is to prevent future floods that not only disrupt daily life but also threaten public health and the city’s historic infrastructure.