The Mexican Institute of Water Technology (IMTA) was created by presidential decree, published in the Official Gazette of the Federation on August 7th, 1986, as an autonomous public organization linked to the former Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources (SARH) with the main objective of developing technology and training the necessary qualified human resources in order to ensure the rational utilization and integrated management of water resources.

As a result of modifications to the country’s Public Administration, and by a presidential decree published in the Official Gazette of the Federation on December 28th, 1994. IMTA became part of the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Fisheries (SEMARNAP).

Today, by a presidential decree published in the Official Gazette of the Federation on October 30th, 2001, IMTA is a state-owned organization, with its own legal personality and assets, and coordinated by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat).