Letter’s to the Editor

Letter’s to the Editor

 

 

Dear Sir:

 

I want to compliment El Ojo del Lago and Margaret Van Every for the story, Water for All, in your last issue. I sincerely hope that Margaret’s piece raises awareness of a very important matter. Though “fictional,” her article carries a very real message of social consciousness, which I hope will  not be lost on “los ricos” with their palatial homes, swimming pools, and manicured lawns. I believe that some of what we see around here is frankly quite unethical, and yet more and more of these exclusive enclaves and monster homes are being built, all the way up the surrounding mountains, without the infrastructure to support it. Besides, much of our needed water trickles down from the surrounding mountain sides, a source which is being dimished by more concrete and asphalt. 

 

As a result, there will be less and less water, not only for the “poor,” but for all. My own water comes directly from the pipes of the village (San Antonio Tlayacapan) and, at times is so bad, that a few weeks ago the sediments in it had plugged the hose that leads to the house (with one bathroom and no pool) so completely that the flow was reduced to a trickle.

 

What is happening is shameful, and I hope that Margaret’s writing has raised the level of awareness a little, though I have my doubts. I suppose it has to come to the point first where – as was the situation en Puebla where I lived before – the city water was turned on only two or three times per week to fill our cistern. (And I know that to be the case in other Mexican cities as well.) And when the city water ran out, you had to buy it by the truck load. Expensive! In fact, there are scientific assessments that in the not-so-far future, water will be a far more expensive commodity than oil.

 

It is difficult to change the whole world; we can only do our part. So, stop building mansions with four or five bathrooms and huge lawns. Drain your pools! What’s happening right now is unconscionable and irresponsible.

 

Karl H. Homann

 

San Antonio Tlayacapan

 

766-3766  Cel. (662) 111.0234