Eighteen percent of the wells that supply water to residents in Torreón, Coahuila, exceed the national standards for acceptable levels of arsenic in drinking water, according to a report by the municipal water department.
Tests found arsenic levels above 0.025 milligrams per liter in 21 out of 114 of the city’s water sources.
But according to the newspaper El Universal, if the World Health Organization’s standard of 0.01 milligrams per liter was applied, 82% or 94 of the city’s water sources would be out of compliance. There are only seven filters in the city capable of removing arsenic from water, but one is out of service and two others are not fully functional.
Local environmentalist Gerardo Jiménez González said that efforts should focus on restoring the city’s aquifer rather than investing in filters and water treatment plants, which he considered are only temporary solutions.
“They extract more water than is permitted, which obliges them to drill deeper, which in turn pollutes the water. “
Regional National Water Commission (Conagua) director Óscar Gutiérrez Santana agreed with Jiménez that deeper drilling likely contributes to arsenic contamination but warned that the renewal of the aquifer could be a long process.
“The presence of arsenic in the aquifer means that it takes decades for the water to replenish itself and improve in quality.”
He added that every year Torreón uses nearly double the 519 million cubic liters of water that is naturally replenished during the same period. Mayor Jorge Zermeño said that in addition to arsenic pollution, deeper drilling also means a higher operating cost for water treatment plants.
A resident of one of the neighborhoods most affected by arsenic contamination told reporters that she only purchases bottled water to avoid contact with the city’s poisoned tap water, though she worries that children still drink the contaminated water from drinking fountains at school.
Jiménez González pointed to increased incidences of skin diseases, cognitive defects in children and cancer among Torreón’s residents, which he alleged were entirely due to the elevated levels of arsenic in the water.
There were similar findings recently in the Laguna region of Durango and Coahuila, where at least 50 of 190 wells contained dangerous levels of arsenic. Jiménez González was skeptical of Durango’s proposition to build new treatment plants, which he criticized as a deflection of the core issue.
Source: El Universal (sp)
Premium content: this page is available only to subscribers. Click here to sign in or obtain access.
Attackers assaulted some of the 57 men and 13 women and took money and valuables, but no one needed medical attention, church officials said.
A scientist helped residents of Atequizayán, Jalisco, find a more viable option than their expensive-to-maintain government-built facility.
The former government allowed 35,000 tonnes of trash to accumulate at a transfer station on the island, according to local officials.
Differing national priorities may make finding common ground difficult at the first North American Leaders’ Summit since 2016.
The additional jabs for seniors will be available starting this month, AMLO said, thanks to the United States providing enough doses.
A number of national and regional influencers in Mexico have found success catering to both a national and international audience.
The capital is the eighth best city in the world for expats and number one in North America, according to the results of an international survey.
Mexico City residents and visitors can make a difference while enjoying music at the Spirit of Christmas Rock ‘n Blues Explosion Fest.
Three-quarters of participants in a referendum on a plant in Topolobampo voted in favor of the US $5-billion project.
The Mexican and United States governments will collaborate on Sembrando Oportunidades, a new development framework aimed stemming irregular migration.
Campeche’s annual Moda Intramuros event might look straight out of Fashion Week, but the designs—and models—on its catwalk will surprise you.
If you own blown-glass Christmas ornaments from Mexico, they were likely made in either Tlalpujahua, Michoacán, or Chignahuapan, Puebla.
A new film explores the slippery truth of the day the Mexican revolutionary attacked an American border town after an arms deal gone wrong.
To test recipes for his new cookbook on Parisian cuisine, food writer James Oseland put his trust in two home cooks in greater Mexico City.
Nata, or clotted cream, is a decadent treat that can cooked into gorditas, eaten with pasta or soup, or simply spread on a piece of bread.
This hiking trail gives almost anyone access to gorgeous waterfalls and views hidden in Jaguar Canyon, just 22 kilometers from Guadalajara.
The level of interest in Madrid for a display about the Day of the Dead contrasted with a transatlantic slanging match between politicians.
In the spirit of the recent holiday, Sarah DeVries compiles a list of all the things she’s grateful for in her adopted country.
The president claims that corruption has been banished but there has not been a single criminal conviction.
THE STORY: A year after new labeling took effect, junk food sales appear unaffected
Receive Mexico news by email.
Sign up for The Whole Enchilada, our free daily digest of the latest Mexico news.
