Many of us living in the "foothills" at the base of the mountain have not had water for a week. I spoke with Morgan this morning and asked why the new pump gave us no water, whereas the old pump gave us some.
He said that we were on the system with an old pump, not the new one. News to me but I still queried why I was getting no water.
Water shortage, he answered. I pointed to the street out front that had just received a liberal dose of water from a tanker truck, as did most of the streets downtown everyday.
Can't get water pressure, he said. Water table too low. Told me to buy water. I told him I believed the water I bought came from the same aquifer.
He shrugged and said he would see what he could do. I take that answer to mean I won't be getting water.
The warm fuzzies I felt after volunteering to pay a double fee for my water bill are quickly subsiding.y
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AND IT WON'T GO AWAY
Posted by Cruz on March 15, 2018, 7:44 am, in reply to "Water Crisis Again"
the crisis, that is.
Our water and sewage situation/problem is a long term situation/problem that requires planning and lots more $ than the Ejido or generous visitors have to put into it. No easy solutions or band-aides exist that can address all that needs addressing.
For water, we simply have outgrown our system which needs to service different and growing areas of the pueblo and a fluctuating water table.
For sewage, amongst several numerous problems, we need a larger pipeline installation from the carcamo, sewage catchment by Hotel Gran Caiman, to the sewage treatment area/pool in Los Ingenios.
Right now, during Semana Santa, we face sewage being diverted to the mangrove so that it doesn't surface at the cocodrilario manhole for all our tourists to see and smell. The 4 inch pipeline from the carcamo can not deal with the flow to the treatment area. So, instead, the days considerable sewage is released into the lagoon and we and the crocodiles smell it by the hotel along with the residents in that area of our main road.
And in time the mangrove plants will not be able to clean it up for us and they will die. Our shit will kill them. And what about the crocs???
During the rainy season, we get to see and smell the sewage gurgling out of down town manholes. All the children and we locals get to walk in it and spread all the nice germies around town into our stores and homes. Aarg! Talk about dog shit. This is our shit and is shit-loads more in quantity (I don't know about quality, lol).
Lately, a well known Mexican newspaper has published an extensive story about our unique mangrove ecosystem and our sewage problem that is contaminating it.
Perhaps now the Mexican coastal environmental agency will put some pressure on the county to take over the management of our water and sewage so that LM doesn't destroy its wonderful and magical estuary. This is as it should be.
Only Jalisco and the feds have the millions (yes, millions of pesos, mulah) needed to accomplish the planning and fixing of our two systems, which in reality should be seen as one and not separated as happens now. And the county is the only body able to receive these funds.
So, it is a long term fix that we face. Mary Jo and her crew are looking into this and will need everyone's support. Our petitions and your attendance to meetings have helped. We may be close. Perhaps attending an Ejido meeting will encourage the Ejido to finally let go. We'll let you know. Cruz
PS: It is my understanding that participation in getting safety and security needs meant, especially when we pay taxes and fees (as renters you pay these indirectly), does not constitute 'political activity'. Information given to me by a government official.
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Re: AND IT WON'T GO AWAY
Posted by David Dagoli on March 15, 2018, 8:16 am, in reply to " AND IT WON'T GO AWAY"
PROFEPA inspectors were in town yesterday, and they said they had 'denuncias' of black water entering the lagoon. They said the reports didn't not specify eaxactly where this was happening. They wanted photos and exact locations of contamination, especially of the street near the lagoon. With these, they said they could get CONAGUA and the Federal Govrrnment involved.
It can be as elusive and expensive as some know, or an alternative exists that is doable and very inexpensive as remains scoffed at but has been in existence for nearly 40 years. Arcata, California the university there discovered using wetlands, namely cat tails to clean the water, also on the coast so brackish water and all these many years later functions, a community the size of La Manzanilla is never going to be able to afford proper conventional system, but it could be done for fraction of cost that fits scale of economy and needs, so someone with the interest that lives there does not have to reinvent the wheel, the data, system and advise are within your grasp, investigate it and act on it, the cure is yours for the taking, am not an engineer, just well read. Always enjoyed my stays there just enjoy community of Vallarta more an wish everyone there the best on choosing well.
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Re: AND IT WON'T GO AWAY
Posted by clschlear@aol. com on March 16, 2018, 7:03 pm, in reply to "Re: AND IT WON'T GO AWAY" Edited by board administrator March 16, 2018, 7:49 pm
Your cowardly post has been removed and you IP blocked.
When people can't take responsibility for their positions....SAD.
David do you know if they actually got the pictures they wanted?? I spoke with Lupe yesteray and she suggested letters to the Dept of health...not sure what the name ot it is, but she said that in Mexico everything has its own department and that the information needed to be sent to many different Secretarias of anything connected with water, health, sewer, environment, tourist=m and anything else that might have interest in the consequences this town may be facing. I have spoken to a few people who loved La Manz, but said they would not return because they always get sick here and the smell of the sewer is really a turn off...and also will contaminate the playas for swimming and water recreation if this is not solved somehow.
The problems with sewage seem to change with who you talk to. Is it because the pipe is too small, or that the bridge construction damaged the line. Or something else? Regardless, it is a fact that sewage overflows at least at one manhole and also flows into the mangrove during peak levels.
How dangerous this is to public health is a matter of debate. There is no doubt that sewage overflow can carry bacteria, viruses, protozoa (parasitic organisms), helminths (intestinal worms), and borroughs (inhaled molds and fungi). These diseases may cause health issues ranging in severity from mild gastroenteritis (causing stomach cramps and diarrhea) to life-threatening ailments such as cholera, dysentery, infections hepatitis, and severe gastroenteritis.
That, of course, doesn't mean they will or do. I can always avoid walking that route on the way to the beach and stop swimming in the lagoon (never liked that idea anyway). Besides, drinking bottled water is probably far more dangerous, given that most bottled water worldwide contains micro-plastic particles.
From a tourism perspective. it's may be more a matter of perception. Tourists generally don't like the idea of getting sick on the their holidays. If they read that they could get sick somewhere, they don't research the claim. They go somewhere else.
Of course some of us may like the idea of keeping tourists away.