A group of organizations has alerted the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on Human Rights to Water and Sanitation about the contamination of water bodies in Holbox.
Due to lack of investment, the waters in the Yum Balam Natural Protected Area are contaminated. Inadequate sanitation is also one of the main threats to the Mesoamerican Reef System.
The Mexican Center for Environmental Law (CEMDA), Alma Verde, Todos Unidos por Holbox, Manaholchi, Kanché, Consejo de Desarrollo de Holbox, Casa Wayuu, Sociedad Cooperativa de Producción Pesquera Chiquilá, Manta-Tiburón Sociedad Cooperativa, Asociación de Hoteles de Holbox, and the Office of the United States of the World Alliance for Environmental Law (ELAW US) and the Center for Biological Diversity have presented an urgent alert to the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights to Water and Sanitation, Léo Heller.
The alert asks the Rapporteur to conduct a thorough investigation and urge the Mexican government to comply with its obligations to respect and protect the human right to clean water and sanitation in Yum Balam communities and their visitors.
One of the common problems in this region – particularly in Cancun City and surrounding areas – is the contamination of water bodies. According to a recent study conducted by the Institute for Social Research at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), the most serious issue related to water in the region is not availability but high levels of contamination, as wastewater continues to be deposited in septic tanks in most urban centers, allowing it to infiltrate groundwater.
The contamination of aquifers also poses a major threat to the Mesoamerican Reef System, according to data from Healthy Reefs.
In Yum Balam’s case, the Holbox sewage treatment plant has sufficient capacity for 1,500 residents but is insufficient for over 18,000 visitors and floating population. The stormwater drainage system is collapsed, and the transfer center lacks the capacity to handle 15 tons of kilogram-days generated daily during peak seasons.
Quintana Roo has a service coverage rate of nearly 69% of its state population in wastewater collection and treatment, but only 70% of existing infrastructure is utilized. According to data from the Institute for Social Research at UNAM, the health of humans depends on the health of ecosystems.
In this case, there is not enough investment in sanitation infrastructure for Yum Balam residents and visitors, and water contamination levels are already high. Eduardo Pacheco of the Hotel Association stated that tourism in Holbox and other sites within the ANP depends on the area’s natural beauty, biodiversity, and basic services, including clean water.
If visitors stop coming due to water pollution, it will severely affect local businesses, resulting in economic losses for those living from tourism. Morelia Montes of Alma Verde said that authorities should not grant new business permits if basic sanitation services are not guaranteed for the community.
Considering this situation, the organizations have asked the UN Rapporteur to request the Mexican government:
1. Guarantee the human right to clean water and sanitation for Yum Balam communities.
2. Invest in generating scientific information on the impacts of the system’s hydrogeological specificities on the Yucatan Peninsula.
3. Conduct monitoring of water quality and sanitation operation in the region.
4. Concretize agreements for collaboration and concurrence necessary to ensure adequate infrastructure for drainage, stormwater, sewage treatment plants, and solid waste transfer centers adapted to population growth and tourism in Yum Balam.
5. Require the presence of authorities responsible for inspection and surveillance in the area to enforce applicable laws.
Source: Cemda.org
