‘贵辞谤驳辞迟迟别苍’

How one Mexican city struggles against big industry for water

Stacks of empty Coca-Cola bottles in crates
Stacks of empty Coca-Cola bottles in crates
Empty Coca-Cola bottles are stacked in crates in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico [Peter Yeung/Al Jazeera]
Empty Coca-Cola bottles are stacked in crates in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico [Peter Yeung/Al Jazeera]

San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico – The famous red and white logo can be seen on almost every street.

It is painted on the front of mom-and-pop stores. It is on the side of delivery vans and 18-wheeler trucks. It even appears stamped on the sides of bottles being drunk by toddlers.

But the ubiquitous branding for the Coca-Cola company is not just a sign of its popularity in the Mexican city of San Cristóbal de las Casas, nestled in the highlands of Chiapas. Some say it is also a sign of peril.

Coca-Cola is Mexico’s most popular drink, racking up billions of dollars worth of sales each year.

But climate change is forcing communities like San Cristóbal into a painful reckoning with Coca-Cola and other multinational businesses that use huge amounts of water to make their products.

“Water flows toward the money and to companies like Coca-Cola, not to the people,” said Fermin Reygadas, the director of Cántaro Azul, a San Cristóbal-based nonprofit that helps supply clean water to rural villages in Chiapas.

A view of San Cristobal de las Casas
A view of San Cristobal de las Casas
San Cristóbal de las Casas is nestled in the highlands of the state of Chiapas in southern Mexico [Peter Yeung/Al Jazeera]
San Cristóbal de las Casas is nestled in the highlands of the state of Chiapas in southern Mexico [Peter Yeung/Al Jazeera]

San Cristóbal, a city of 200,000 people, is home to a bottling plant run by Femsa, a food and drink conglomerate with rights to bottle and sell Coca-Cola in much of Latin America.

It has permits to extract more than 300,000 gallons of water, or about 1.14 million litres, every day from the nearby Huitepec volcano basin.

But that demand has led to severe water stress. Although Chiapas has the most water per capita in all of Mexico, more than one in three people in rural areas do not have access to running water.

More broadly, Mexico is projected to face water shortages in 20 of its 32 states by the year 2050 as a result of climate change and severe drought.

Already, as of 2020, 11 states suffer from water scarcity. The country’s capital, Mexico City, is at risk of reaching “day zero” — a term used to describe the complete loss of water from taps.

As a result, conflicts over water rights have flared between locals and companies like Coca-Cola and the French multinational Danone.

In the state of Puebla, for instance, Indigenous activists have occupied a Danone-owned bottling plant in protest of the nearly 1.4 million litres it extracts from the local aquifer.

Critics blame the industrial extraction for the growth of a sinkhole nearly 400 feet — or 122 metres — wide, though the company has denied any connection.

A delivery truck worker unloads pallets of Coca-Cola
A delivery truck worker unloads pallets of Coca-Cola
A delivery worker unloads Coca-Cola crates from a truck in San Cristóbal de las Casas [Peter Yeung/Al Jazeera]
A delivery worker unloads Coca-Cola crates from a truck in San Cristóbal de las Casas [Peter Yeung/Al Jazeera]

Impoverished communities are often hit hardest by the water shortages.

Gloria ?lvarez, a resident of a low-income neighbourhood in the hills above San Cristóbal known as Las Peras, said the dry spells can last for weeks.

During times when her taps run dry, the mother of six must travel 30 minutes or more by bus to find water for drinking, cleaning and bathing.

With her husband usually busy at work, she transports heavy containers full of water to their two-room home by herself.

“We’re forgotten about here,” said ?lvarez, 43, standing on the dirt road in front of her house. “Nobody cares.”

Ismail Jimenez in a black baseball cap
Ismail Jiménez said the water shortages sometimes force him and his family to go without water to bathe [Peter Yeung/Al Jazeera]

Even those living in the centre of San Cristóbal face the chronic disruption of their water supplies. Ismail Jiménez, a 23-year-old resident, said he receives water for just three hours every two days.

Sometimes, he has to wait for a full week to receive running water in his home in downtown San Cristóbal, only a few hundred metres from the Santo Domingo de Guzmán church, a popular tourist site.

The uncertainty makes life particularly stressful. Jiménez, a trainee accountant living with his wife and son, explained that he has been forced to go to important work meetings without having bathed.

“The companies take too much water,” said Jiménez. “We need it.”

A van makes deliveries of water jugs in San Cristobal
A van makes deliveries of water jugs in San Cristobal
Some residents in San Cristóbal de las Casas rely on bottled beverages, not trusting the safety of local tap water [Peter Yeung/Al Jazeera]
Some residents in San Cristóbal de las Casas rely on bottled beverages, not trusting the safety of local tap water [Peter Yeung/Al Jazeera]

Even those lucky enough to receive water through their taps usually cannot drink it.

The groundwater in San Cristóbal has been impacted by sewage pollution in recent years, with researchers finding evidence of faecal contamination.

As a result, salmonella, a bacteria that can cause diarrhoea, is now endemic. A 2017 study?by researchers at ECOSUR university found that water in the local wetlands also contained high levels of pathogens.

Just 7 percent of households in Chiapas believe their water is safe to drink, according to a national survey conducted in 2023.

“People don’t trust the tap water here,” said Reygadas, the leader of the water safety nonprofit. “The water sources are like open sewers.”

The situation forces many to buy bottled water instead — or drink soda.

Reygadas credits that consumer demand with creating a “vicious circle” that has allowed the government to get away with scant efforts to improve the quality of public water supply, while fuelling corporate water extraction.

According to a 2019 paper by the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the state of Chiapas had the highest soda consumption in the nation.

The study found that chiapanecos guzzled approximately 683.8 litres (180 gallons) of Coca-Cola per person a year, enough to fill multiple bathtubs. By comparison, it found that United States residents drank 98.4 litres (26 gallons) per person.

A truck driver delivers crates of Coca-Cola
A truck driver delivers crates of Coca-Cola
A delivery worker loads crates of Coca-Cola into a truck in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico [Peter Yeung/Al Jazeera]
A delivery worker loads crates of Coca-Cola into a truck in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico [Peter Yeung/Al Jazeera]

Every half-litre bottle of Coke requires 35 litres (9.2 gallons) of water to produce, according to an official 2010 report by Coca-Cola and the environmental nonprofit The Nature Conservancy.

Approximately 28 litres (7 gallons) are used to raise sugar beets to sweeten the beverage, 7 litres (2 gallons) are needed to manufacture the plastic bottle, and 0.4 litres (0.1 gallons) form the basis for the product itself.

But the report relied on data from the Netherlands and acknowledged that water use can vary from place to place, particularly when different ingredients are used.

A spokesperson for Coca-Cola did not reply to a query about whether the 2010 report was still accurate but pointed to the company’s latest business and sustainability report, which claims that water use efficiency has improved by 10 percent since 2015.

The company also said it aims to reach “100% regenerative water use” by 2030 for the 175 facilities located in areas facing “high levels of water stress”.

A delivery truck driver parks a Coca-Cola branded van in San Cristobal, Mexico
Activists in San Cristóbal de las Casas have called for a review of how water is extracted in and around the city [Peter Yeung/Al Jazeera]

Yet, as Mexico experiences more extreme weather as a result of climate change, the question of how local groundwater is used has become hard to ignore. And many in San Cristóbal are left to question: What is in it for them?

The permits for the Coca-Cola bottling factory are part of a deal with the government dating back decades.

The rapid development of Mexico’s soda industry began with the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA. That deal eased investment from the United States and ushered in a wave of globalisation.

That same year, the plant in San Cristóbal opened. Critics say the terms of its permits are biased towards Coca-Cola.

“How can they take millions of litres of water and leave none for us?” said DK Dens, a local graffiti artist whose murals include depictions of giant Coke bottles drinking the earth’s oceans with a straw.

An aerial view of a Coca-Cola bottling plant, with trucks parked out front
An aerial view of a Coca-Cola bottling plant, with trucks parked out front
Trucks wait outside a bottling plant in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico [Peter Yeung/Al Jazeera]
Trucks wait outside a bottling plant in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico [Peter Yeung/Al Jazeera]

According to a 2017 report by a coalition of environmental and civil rights groups, Femsa pays 2,600 pesos or $155 for each water permit in Mexico.

The report’s authors call that amount “absolutely ridiculous” when compared with the profits the companies make off the water.

Eduardo Gomez, a professor who wrote a study about Coca-Cola’s political influence in Mexico, credited the favourable deals to “the ease with which industry leaders have access to congressional and bureaucratic institutions”.

He pointed out, for example, that Vicente Fox was head of Coca-Cola Femsa before being elected Mexican president in 2000.

Mexico’s National Water Commission (CONAGUA), which is responsible for granting water concessions, did not respond to requests for comment about criticisms of the permit-granting process, how long the permits last and the extent of its deals with Coca-Cola across the country.

Coca-Cola now has a 70-percent market share of production and sales of soda in Mexico.

The Femsa-led operation runs more than 20,000 convenience stores nationwide, according to Marcos Arana, director of a nonprofit focused on improving healthcare for Indigenous communities in Chiapas. It even provides fridges to small shops that sell its products.

“They’re like narcomenudistas,” said Arana, likening the strategy to Mexican drug cartels who create large networks of small-time dealers. “That’s how Coca-Cola’s business model works. You can’t escape it.”

Femsa did not respond to requests for comment about its business practices in Mexico and in San Cristóbal in particular, including how it would respond to Arana’s allegations and what it is doing to minimise its impact on water shortages.

Daniela Puerta, a spokesperson for Coca-Cola Mexico, declined a request for an interview but said in an email, “We always abide by local laws and regulations.”

“We recognize the water access challenges in San Cristóbal, and, for nearly a decade, we have been working with local communities and NGOs to help improve water access,” she added.

Manuela Dias holding a baby in a fabric sling
San Cristobal resident Manuela Dias told Al Jazeera she has no intention of quitting Coca-Cola products [Peter Yeung/Al Jazeera]

Other factors such as poor infrastructure and rapid urbanisation have also played a role in the water shortages, according to Raúl Rodríguez, president of Mexico’s Water Advisory Council.

“The state and municipal governments must invest more economic resources to ensure the supply of water to the population,” he said.

But despite the concerns about water access, Coca-Cola is proving hard for some people in San Cristóbal to quit.

“I don’t see why we should stop drinking it,” said Manuela Dias, an Indigenous Tzotzil woman whose family of five cultivates corn and vegetables in the hills above San Cristóbal.

“Anyway, there’s nothing else for us.”

Source: Al Jazeera
universo-virtual.com
buytrendz.net
thisforall.net
benchpressgains.com
qthzb.com
mindhunter9.com
dwjqp1.com
secure-signup.net
ahaayy.com
soxtry.com
tressesindia.com
puresybian.com
krpano-chs.com
cre8workshop.com
hdkino.org
peixun021.com
qz786.com
utahperformingartscenter.org
maw-pr.com
zaaksen.com
ypxsptbfd7.com
worldqrmconference.com
shangyuwh.com
eejssdfsdfdfjsd.com
playminecraftfreeonline.com
trekvietnamtour.com
your-business-articles.com
essaywritingservice10.com
hindusamaaj.com
joggingvideo.com
wandercoups.com
onlinenewsofindia.com
worldgraphic-team.com
bnsrz.com
wormblaster.net
tongchengchuyange0004.com
internetknowing.com
breachurch.com
peachesnginburlesque.com
dataarchitectoo.com
clientfunnelformula.com
30pps.com
cherylroll.com
ks2252.com
webmanicura.com
osostore.com
softsmob.com
sofietsshotel.com
facetorch.com
nylawyerreview.com
apapromotions.com
shareparelli.com
goeaglepointe.com
thegreenmanpubphuket.com
karotorossian.com
publicsensor.com
taiwandefence.com
epcsur.com
odskc.com
inzziln.info
leaiiln.info
cq-oa.com
dqtianshun.com
southstills.com
tvtv98.com
thewellington-hotel.com
bccaipiao.com
colectoresindustrialesgs.com
shenanddcg.com
capriartfilmfestival.com
replicabreitlingsale.com
thaiamarinnewtoncorner.com
gkmcww.com
mbnkbj.com
andrewbrennandesign.com
cod54.com
luobinzhang.com
bartoysdirect.com
taquerialoscompadresdc.com
aaoodln.info
amcckln.info
drvrnln.info
dwabmln.info
fcsjoln.info
hlonxln.info
kcmeiln.info
kplrrln.info
fatcatoons.com
91guoys.com
signupforfreehosting.com
faithfirst.net
zjyc28.com
tongchengjinyeyouyue0004.com
nhuan6.com
oldgardensflowers.com
lightupthefloor.com
bahamamamas-stjohns.com
ly2818.com
905onthebay.com
fonemenu.com
notanothermovie.com
ukrainehighclassescort.com
meincmagazine.com
av-5858.com
yallerdawg.com
donkeythemovie.com
corporatehospitalitygroup.com
boboyy88.com
miteinander-lernen.com
dannayconsulting.com
officialtomsshoesoutletstore.com
forsale-amoxil-amoxicillin.net
generictadalafil-canada.net
guitarlessonseastlondon.com
lesliesrestaurants.com
mattyno9.com
nri-homeloans.com
rtgvisas-qatar.com
salbutamolventolinonline.net
sportsinjuries.info
topsedu.xyz
xmxm7.com
x332.xyz
sportstrainingblog.com
autopartspares.com
readguy.net
soniasegreto.com
bobbygdavis.com
wedsna.com
rgkntk.com
bkkmarketplace.com
zxqcwx.com
breakupprogram.com
boxcardc.com
unblockyoutubeindonesia.com
fabulousbookmark.com
beat-the.com
guatemala-sailfishing-vacations-charters.com
magie-marketing.com
kingstonliteracy.com
guitaraffinity.com
eurelookinggoodapparel.com
howtolosecheekfat.net
marioncma.org
oliviadavismusic.com
shantelcampbellrealestate.com
shopleborn13.com
topindiafree.com
v-visitors.net
qazwsxedcokmijn.com
parabis.net
terriesandelin.com
luxuryhomme.com
studyexpanse.com
ronoom.com
djjky.com
053hh.com
originbluei.com
baucishotel.com
33kkn.com
intrinsiqresearch.com
mariaescort-kiev.com
mymaguk.com
sponsored4u.com
crimsonclass.com
bataillenavale.com
searchtile.com
ze-stribrnych-struh.com
zenithalhype.com
modalpkv.com
bouisset-lafforgue.com
useupload.com
37r.net
autoankauf-muenster.com
bantinbongda.net
bilgius.com
brabustermagazine.com
indigrow.org
miicrosofts.net
mysmiletravel.com
selinasims.com
spellcubesapp.com
usa-faction.com
snn01.com
hope-kelley.com
bancodeprofissionais.com
zjccp99.com
liturgycreator.com
weedsmj.com
majorelenco.com
colcollect.com
androidnews-jp.com
hypoallergenicdogsnames.com
dailyupdatez.com
foodphotographyreviews.com
cricutcom-setup.com
chprowebdesign.com
katyrealty-kanepa.com
tasramar.com
bilgipinari.org
four-am.com
indiarepublicday.com
inquick-enbooks.com
iracmpi.com
kakaschoenen.com
lsm99flash.com
nana1255.com
ngen-niagara.com
technwzs.com
virtualonlinecasino1345.com
wallpapertop.net
nova-click.com
abeautifulcrazylife.com
diggmobile.com
denochemexicana.com
eventhalfkg.com
medcon-taiwan.com
life-himawari.com
myriamshomes.com
nightmarevue.com
allstarsru.com
bestofthebuckeyestate.com
bestofthefirststate.com
bestwireless7.com
declarationintermittent.com
findhereall.com
jingyou888.com
lsm99deal.com
lsm99galaxy.com
moozatech.com
nuagh.com
patliyo.com
philomenamagikz.net
rckouba.net
saturnunipessoallda.com
tallahasseefrolics.com
thematurehardcore.net
totalenvironment-inthatquietearth.com
velislavakaymakanova.com
vermontenergetic.com
sizam-design.com
kakakpintar.com
begorgeouslady.com
1800birks4u.com
2wheelstogo.com
6strip4you.com
bigdata-world.net
emailandco.net
gacapal.com
jharpost.com
krishnaastro.com
lsm99credit.com
mascalzonicampani.com
sitemapxml.org
thecityslums.net
topagh.com
flairnetwebdesign.com
bangkaeair.com
beneventocoupon.com
noternet.org
oqtive.com
smilebrightrx.com
decollage-etiquette.com
1millionbestdownloads.com
7658.info
bidbass.com
devlopworldtech.com
digitalmarketingrajkot.com
fluginfo.net
naqlafshk.com
passion-decouverte.com
playsirius.com
spacceleratorintl.com
stikyballs.com
top10way.com
yokidsyogurt.com
zszyhl.com
16firthcrescent.com
abogadolaboralistamd.com
apk2wap.com
aromacremeria.com
banparacard.com
bosmanraws.com
businessproviderblog.com
caltonosa.com
calvaryrevivalchurch.org
chastenedsoulwithabrokenheart.com
cheminotsgardcevennes.com
cooksspot.com
cqxzpt.com
deesywig.com
deltacartoonmaps.com
despixelsetdeshommes.com
duocoracaobrasileiro.com
fareshopbd.com
goodpainspills.com
kobisitecdn.com
makaigoods.com
mgs1454.com
piccadillyresidences.com
radiolaondafresca.com
rubendorf.com
searchengineimprov.com
sellmyhrvahome.com
shugahouseessentials.com
sonihullquad.com
subtractkilos.com
valeriekelmansky.com
vipasdigitalmarketing.com
voolivrerj.com
zeelonggroup.com
1015southrockhill.com
10x10b.com
111-online-casinos.com
191cb.com
3665arpentunitd.com
aitesonics.com
bag-shokunin.com
brightotech.com
communication-digitale-services.com
covoakland.org
dariaprimapack.com
freefortniteaccountss.com
gatebizglobal.com
global1entertainmentnews.com
greatytene.com
hiroshiwakita.com
iktodaypk.com
jahatsakong.com
meadowbrookgolfgroup.com
newsbharati.net
platinumstudiosdesign.com
slotxogamesplay.com
strikestaruk.com
trucosdefortnite.com
ufabetrune.com
weddedtowhitmore.com
12940brycecanyonunitb.com
1311dietrichoaks.com
2monarchtraceunit303.com
601legendhill.com
850elaine.com
adieusolasomade.com
andora-ke.com
bestslotxogames.com
cannagomcallen.com
endlesslyhot.com
iestpjva.com
ouqprint.com
pwmaplefest.com
qtylmr.com
rb88betting.com
buscadogues.com
1007macfm.com
born-wild.com
growthinvests.com
promocode-casino.com
proyectogalgoargentina.com
wbthompson-art.com
whitemountainwheels.com
7thavehvl.com
developmethis.com
funkydogbowties.com
travelodgegrandjunction.com
gao-town.com
globalmarketsuite.com
blogshippo.com
hdbka.com
proboards67.com
outletonline-michaelkors.com
kalkis-research.com
thuthuatit.net
buckcash.com
hollistercanada.com
docterror.com
asadart.com
vmayke.org
erwincomputers.com
dirimart.org
okkii.com
loteriasdecehegin.com
mountanalog.com
healingtaobritain.com
ttxmonitor.com
bamthemes.com
nwordpress.com
11bolabonanza.com
avgo.top