Article 1: NY Times
This is a link to a NY Times article discussing the water quality of Mexico.
SUmmary:
This article exposes the problems cities in Mexico have faced over the years dealing with unsanitary tap water. Unfortunately the government has spent over billions of dollars to improve the water in Mexico, but now people in Mexico have already found their own solutions. For several years while the tap water either had a yellow or brown coloring, residents would purchase refillable jugs of water. Using these refillable jugs of bottled water became a habit for most families. Many local residents took it upon themselves to start their own water purification business, where they would purify the water themselves and sell the water to make a profit. These new habits became so widespread and familiar for so many families in Mexico, that even now that there is access to more sanitary water, they still use their refillable jugs. Many locals say they do not trust that the water is finally clean enough to drink because it had been dirty for so long, and the pipes where the water runs through are still very old and unclean.
OPinion:
This article did not surprise me when I first read it, because I know Mexico struggles with unsanitary water conditions. However, I was surprised to learn that local residents have pursued water purification businesses and also that it is common for everyone to use these refillable jugs as bathing and drinking water. The government of Mexico should not have allowed this problem to escalate to a point where locals are using water from bottles as bathing water. Now that many improvements have been made, the government should be reassuring the locals the water is sanitary and drinkable. In my opinion, it is extremely unreasonable for the local residents to have to pay for tap water they are not able to drink, while they are paying for the bottled water they are consuming. People in Mexico are spending too much money for water they are not able to drink which could be used for paying for other necessities. Hopefully, the government will be able to encourage more residents to drink their newly clean tap water and can move away from the bottled water habits that have become so costly.
Municipal: of or pertaining to a town or city or its local government
Potable: safe to drink; drinkable
Ionization: to separate or change into ions
Water Mains: a main pipe or conduit in a system for conveying water
Cisterns: a reservoir, tank, or container for storing or holding water or other liquid
Potable: safe to drink; drinkable
Ionization: to separate or change into ions
Water Mains: a main pipe or conduit in a system for conveying water
Cisterns: a reservoir, tank, or container for storing or holding water or other liquid