Parched: A Lesson from the Third World
We were without water for five days. Let’s just take a minute to imagine what that is like. We couldn’t wash the dishes, not even the crusty yogurt, baby food, or soymilk dishes. We couldn’t bathe, not even the 9-month-old baby. We couldn’t wash our hands, faces or even, this is the worst part, flush the toilet.
We were getting ready to go to bed. I had splashed water on my face and once I was all lathered up, I turned on the water to rinse off the soap. Nothing. Not a drop. The city had once again shut off our water supply. Didn’t the UN declare that water is a basic human right?
We all know there is a water problem. They say the worlds greatest wars will be fought over water. Here in Mexico, it is impossible to look the other way.
Mexico’s water supply is poorly distributed and is often contaminated with industrial pollutants or sewage. The population in Xalapa, like in urban areas throughout the Republic, is exponentially growing. The city is not prepared to handle the increase in consumption and it does not have the infrastructure necessary to control water pressure. According to the 2000 census, 55 percent of Mexican homes with piped water had service only intermittently.
In the middle of the dry season, when water is truly scarce, I have seen people watering their sidewalks, washing their cars every day, and allowing water to leak from various sources in their homes. Perhaps this attitude is so prevalent because water here is so cheap. We pay USD 7 per month for the water we use to tend to our family of four. Living without water for five days is terrifying enough to make me really analyze how I use water both here and in the United States.
It may be tempting to think that this can only happen in Mexico, in the third world, but these lessons are for everyone. After all, 80 percent of the world’s population lives in developing countries. Even developed nations are on their way to severe water shortages.
Consider, for example, that we use 33 percent of our domestic and commercial water supply in the United States for bathing and 41 percent for flushing the toilet. It pays to take this into consideration when you look at the numbers. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) explains that American’s “need” for water has increased by 209 percent since 1950. Please notice that I put “need” in quotations. It is estimated that by 2013, in only six years, 36 US states will face water shortages, like the one we just had here in Xalapa.
It’s something to think about next time you want to wash your car or take that hour-long shower. Consider it a lesson from the Third World.
Sources:
Water Supply and Sanitation in Mexico
“Water in Mexico” World Water Forum