By Alejandro Angulo
March 22 was World Water Day. Many people from different countries that lack water did not celebrate it. Currently more than 2 billion people do not have access to drinking water and almost two thirds of the total world population faces a serious water shortage for at least one month each year.
The amount of usable fresh water is decreasing, while demand is increasing due to population growth and behaviors associated with waste and climate change (Martha Mejía, 2022, Vértigo).
Water, beyond being vital for life, also has social and legal significance. Water availability is a strong indicator of inequality, whether it be regional, zonal, or by neighborhood. According to data from a 2021 UN report, the use of drinking water has multiplied by six in the last 100 years. Its demand maintains a growth rate of 1% per year. This makes water an increasingly scarce resource and lessens its quality. Water availability in homes also serves as a poverty indicator. INEGI points out that in Mexico, from 2010 to 2020, there was a jump from 3.3 million homes without access to drinking water to 7.8 million. The number of people without access to drinking water increased from 12.9 million in 2010 to 28.3 million in 2020.
Water is also a competitive factor. Having sufficient water and availability can make a difference for various economic sectors that depend on it. Its control becomes a political issue. This is the case with our northern border, where water is shared and has resulted in international treaties. However, the issue is not limited to the relationship between countries but can also happen between states. What is the source of water in Mexico?
Groundwater contributes half the volume of water extracted for domestic use by the world population. Around 25% is for irrigation, and 38% of all land on the planet is irrigated (ONU, 2022). Perló Cohen, a UNAM researcher and PhD in Urban-Regional Planning from UC Berkeley, tells us:
“[…] in Mexico 38.7% of water used is from aquifers. In many cases, extraction exceeds replenishment, in several cases by more than 100%. For example, in the Valley of Mexico, (El Texcoco), this situation exceeds 800%.”
According to CONAGUA data, the major problem is located where there is less rainfall, from the center of the valley to the north. In downtown Mexico City, 40,000 liters per second are extracted from the subsoil. This is two thirds of the total consumption in the metropolitan area of the city.
Here are some recommendations from CONAGUA:
• Check faucets and pipes for leaks. If you discover a leak, repair it immediately.
• Soap all dishes with the faucet turned off, then give them a quick rinse. Reuse that water to clean the house. Soapy water can be used to wash bathrooms and sidewalks.
• Collect water from the shower head when you bathe. While waiting for the hot water to come out, place a bucket to store the liquid. You can use it to water plants.
• Take baths of no more than five minutes and turn off the faucet while soaping up.
• Change a 16-liter toilet tank to six.
• When brushing your teeth, do it only with a glass of water and avoid leaving the tap running.
• Don’t wash your car with a hose. It’s better to use a pressure washer, or bucket.
Water is evident in the history of philosophy. In the rites of ancient cultures and religions, water is a symbol of life, purification, and hope. Water has an ethical value. It’s not only for we humans, but also a necessity for millions of other beings, plants, and animals who share our planet.
The care of its use is critical to sustainable development. We must know the limits and adapt to them. Water efficiency means doing more with the same or doing the same with less. Efficiency forces us to distinguish between use and consumption. Consumption is what we need; use is what we can modify and decrease or increase.
Changes in societal habits not only result in an increase in consumption, but also a decline in water quality. In many places in Mexico, water contains chemicals. Laboratory analyses have long shown that water intended for human consumption contains residues of pesticides, nitrates from fertilizers, aluminum, and lead from pipes, etc. Poor water is a serious attack on people’s well-being. Water pollution is a real fact:
• 30% of all river sections in the industrialized world are highly polluted.
• 2.5 billion people are exposed to diseases linked to water pollution. Today there are 45,000 cases of cholera.
• Poor water quality is responsible for 30% of deaths in the Third World.
• Some four million children die every year as a result of waterborne infections.
Let’s be cautious of water consumption and focus on water quality!
