Everyone’s been buzzing about the latest water news: Mexico City officials said they’re shutting off the taps to the entire city starting today, and lasting through Monday. No one will have water, the newspapers said. Not just our neighborhood in Cuauhtemoc. We still haven’t “officially” had water for a few weeks now.
Our building manager ordered another pipa, which arrived this morning at 5 a.m. Of course the driver rang our buzzer. (The joys of being apartment No. 1.) Crayton read in Reforma this morning that one family who’d lacked water since Monday bathed themselves in a man-made beach in Coyoacan. (Wish I could link it, but Reforma is subscription-only.) Strangely, El Universal is reporting that some places in Cuauhtemoc and Alvaro Obregon still have water. Where is the logic in this?
I’m off to Seattle to celebrate my mom’s 60th birthday, but I’m thinking about organizing a rain dance on my back patio when I get return. Let me know if you’re in.
I’ll happily join you in the rain dance, but there’s no need: The rains will arrive come summer, and like every year, the rains will *not* be collected and stored properly, compounding the water shortage problem.
Wow, that sounds far less romantic than a rain dance.
Wow, that sounds just awful. Any thoughts about where blame is getting placed for this–more on Ebrard, past administrations, or just overpopulation and an ill-suited climate? I hope the dance is successful.
Patrick: I haven’t read enough to give a well-researched answer about where the blame lies, but my immediate thought is that it’s both city officials’ and residents’ fault. City officials continue to charge people for water even when there isn’t any, leading to a whole undercurrent of conspiracy theories among citizens here, i.e., “This isn’t about water. They’re just out to screw us!” And the city allows the whole pipa industry to exist. How can private companies offer water when the city can’t? It makes no sense.
On the other hand, the people who live here make no effort to conserve. People still drown their sidewalks in water, take long showers, accidentally leave the faucet on, etc. I’m so surprised that among all the billboards in this city, I haven’t seen ONE that pleads for water conservation. Why?
Plus, at this point, the lack of water is a fact of life. No one blinks an eye when the water gets shut off. People seem much more concerned about crime and the economy.