Worried about drinking the water in Mexico? Want to know the real deal on water pollution in Mexico? Our guide gives you the facts & information you’ll want to know.
Most people from the US who are about to visit Mexico are warned not to drink the water because the pollution in Mexico is so bad. While it is true that you shouldn’t drink water from the faucet in Mexico it isn’t true that the reason for this is the terrible water pollution in Mexico.
Mexico city is known for it’s air pollution; however, the water does not have especially high pollution levels when compared to many other big cities. In fact, in terms of the sewage and water treatment and delivery systems, all he big cities in Mexico enjoy a level of infrastructure similar to any other modern country of city in the US.
The Water System in Mexico
The reason why you cannot drink water straight from the faucet in Mexico is to do with the extent of water supply, not the quality. The water in Mexico is treated for pollution at a main treatment center before it is pumped through a network of pipes to every area and house in the city. The problem is that in Mexico each area in the city only gets a couple of hours supply each day. This doesn’t mean that outside of those couple of hours people in Mexico don’t have any water because all houses and buildings in Mexico are built with large cisterns in the basement. Every day when the water supply is turned on in an area of the city, all the cisterns in all the buildings fill up. Then when the main water supply is turned off for the rest of the day every house should have enough water in the cistern to last them until the following day.
Real Cause of Water Pollution
In addition to the underground cistern, there is also a water tank on the roof of every house which provides the pressure for the water to come out of the faucets. Between the cistern and the water tank, the water lies stagnant for up to 22 hours a day. This means there’s a good chance that the water gets contamination from bacteria in these two places and sometimes insects can even find their way into the tank which makes the water unsafe to drink.
People in Mexico rely on bottled water companies for their drinking water needs and the price of a bottle of drinking water in Mexico is cheap.
