AP: In Mexico City, women water harvesters help make up for drought and dicey public water system
https://apnews.com/article/mexico-city-rainwater-harvesting-climate-change-women-iztapalapa-cf61986c929c49fb75243a31ed29358dIn Mexico City, women water harvesters help make up for drought and dicey public water system
BY MARIANA MARTÍNEZ BARBA AND JULIÁN TREJO BAX
Updated 1:42 AM EDT, August 2, 2024
MEXICO CITY (AP) Gliding above her neighborhood in a cable car on a recent morning, Sonia Estefanía Palacios Díaz scanned a sea of blue and black water tanks, tubes and cables looking for rain harvesting systems.
Theres one! she said, pointing out a black tank hooked up to a smaller blue unit with connecting tubes snaking up to the roof where water is collected.
Im always looking for different rainwater harvesting systems, she said, smiling. Im also always looking for places to install one.
Driven by
prolonged drought and inconsistent public water delivery, many Mexico City residents are turning to rainwater. Pioneering company Isla Urbana, which does both nonprofit and for-profit work, has installed more than 40,000 rain catchment systems across Mexico since the company was founded 15 years ago. And Mexico Citys government has invested in the installation of 70,000 systems since 2019, still a drop in the bucket for the sprawling metropolis of around 9 million.
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