Aurelio Sánchez Suárez, coordinator of the Social Sciences Unit of the Regional Research Center “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi” (CIR) of the Autonomous University of Yucatan (UADY), warned that the quality of water in Yucatan will be very bad in the future due to the large number of contaminants that are dumped into the water table.
The situation is especially worrying in Mérida, where the oldest neighborhoods and the Historic Center face serious problems in the management of wastewater since many only have septic tanks and “drains “Sumideros” as a drainage system.
Sánchez Suárez highlighted the lack of an accurate record of the properties that are in this situation, which aggravates the problem of daily contamination. This lack of data is shared by the Municipal Planning Institute of Mérida, as well as by the environmental, state, and municipal authorities, who also lack an updated record of the home drainage systems.
According to the researcher, preparing a detailed census of homes with inadequate drainage systems would require considerable effort, including house-to-house visits and the cooperation of residents.
He indicated that, in the Historic Center, the problem is particularly difficult to track, since many houses could be directly connected to cenotes or the water table without a clear record.
Faced with this reality, priority has been given to raising awareness among the population about the environmental damage caused and the upgrade to more sustainable drainage systems is encouraged.
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