The Magdalena River, in western Mexico City, announced two projects between 2020 and 2022 with investments of more than 20 million pesos each that still do not remedy the pollution. The defenders who make up the Atlitic Resistance Popular Assembly have documented how wastewater flow is one of the main threats to the last living river in the country's capital that crosses Los Dinamos National Park.
“From the middle of the second dynamo downwards it is dry until its encounter with the Anzaldo dam. Water does flow over the river, but it is wastewater because from where the La Cañada bridge is, gray water begins to be attached,” explained Miguel Santana, member of the Assembly and a resident of the town of Santa María Magdalena Atlitic.
Another threat reported by those who defend the river is pollution from activities related to sanitation. Despite the fact that Los Dinamos is a Protected Natural Area (ANP), for several years people have been coming to perform rituals leaving dead animals, fabrics, fruits, perfumes and other objects that end up in the Magdalena River.
Added to this is the presence of tourism and various businesses whose waste impacts the health of the ecosystem.
“Everyone (tourists) goes up to eat quesadillas, everyone goes up to drink pulque, but from the first dynamo to the fourth dynamo it is contaminated with fats and food. In addition to the bathrooms with runoff that go to the river,” Santana said.
In Mexico City, where urban growth led to the loss of natural areas, the Magdalena River is one of the most important ecosystems. Mainly because it is still a source of clean water and air.
“The water analyzed in the natural area of the river has appropriate characteristics to function as a source of supply for urban public use and for agricultural irrigation, as well as an adequate environment for freshwater aquatic life,” cites the study “The Voice of Water”, published by specialists from the Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM).
This reaffirms that the parts of the Magdalena River closest to the urban area have a decrease in oxygen due to the entry of wastewater resulting from human settlements and activities. As well as the introduction of flora and fauna that currently present fungi and other diseases.
The capital's authorities have presented projects and actions to promote remediation. In April 2022, within the framework of International Mother Earth Day, the Mexico City Water System (SACMEX) reported that the sanitation of the Magdalena and Eslava rivers, in the Magdalena Contreras mayor's office, had an investment of 21.5 million pesos with an environmental recovery of 54.11%.
Two years ago, in 2020, the then head of government Claudia Sheinbaum announced that a comprehensive recovery and emerging cleaning and desolving works would be carried out with an investment of 24.6 million pesos.
That same year, the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (Sectei) published a series of projects to “eliminate the potential for contamination of the water used by drinking water treatment plants so that they maintain a uniform quality throughout the year”.
In addition, a rainwater collection system was proposed to stop clandestine intakes for domestic and commercial use in the area and a decentralized wastewater treatment system to reduce discharges into the river.
However, there have currently been no updates regarding the progress or results obtained by these projects.
“Water is a human right, but it has been forgotten that there are other living beings that also have a right to water. Our animals in the forest also live on water and no one has started to think about the effects,” said Miguel Santana about the repercussions of pollution on the Magdalena River.
The region is also home to teporingos, axolotls, falcons, wild rabbits and other species, but it is becoming less common to find them, according to those who defend the river.
“More than measures to repair damage, we must look for other viable alternatives that benefit the community, for example, the agrarian community should be given alternative income so that they have a greater commitment to the forest,” said Santana.
Currently, the Atlitic Resistance Popular Assembly, together with other indigenous peoples of Mexico City, are holding meetings with the capital's government in which these problems are raised, however, the proposed measures do not seem to be enough.
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