San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico: A City Struggles Against Big Industry for Water In the highlands of Chiapas, the iconic red and white Coca-Cola logo is impossible to miss. It’s painted on shop fronts, delivery vans, trucks, and even stamped on bottles consumed by children. While Coca-Cola’s ubiquitous presence in San Cristóbal de las Casas highlights its popularity, many locals see the branding as a symbol of a much deeper crisis: the ongoing battle for water rights in the face of massive corporate consumption.
Coca-Cola, the most consumed beverage in Mexico, generates billions in annual sales. However, climate change and unsustainable water extraction are pushing San Cristóbal de las Casas and other communities to confront multinational companies that drain essential water resources.
Fermin Reygadas, the director of Cántaro Azul, a nonprofit organization that helps provide clean water to Chiapas’ rural villages, explains the situation succinctly: “Water flows toward the money and to companies like Coca-Cola, not to the people.”
The Struggles of Local Communities: A Water Crisis Felt Daily
The water shortage hits impoverished communities hardest. Gloria Álvarez, a mother of six from the Las Peras neighborhood above San Cristóbal, describes the reality of daily water shortages. When her taps run dry, she must travel over 30 minutes by bus to collect water for drinking, bathing, and cleaning. She carries heavy containers of water by herself, as her husband works.
“We’re forgotten about here,” says Álvarez. “Nobody cares.”
Even within San Cristóbal’s city center, residents like Ismail Jiménez experience chronic water disruptions. Jiménez, a 23-year-old accountant, receives water only three hours every two days, and sometimes, he must wait an entire week for water to flow. Despite being just a few hundred meters from a popular tourist site, the lack of reliable water access has made life difficult, forcing him to attend important work meetings without being able to shower.
“The companies take too much water,” says Jiménez. “We need it.”
Contaminated Water: A Public Health Crisis
For many in San Cristóbal, even when water flows, it is unsafe to drink. Studies have found that groundwater in the region has been tainted by sewage pollution. In 2017, research from ECOSUR University revealed high levels of pathogens in the city’s wetlands. As a result, salmonella, which causes diarrhea, has become endemic.
Just 7% of households in Chiapas believe their tap water is safe to drink, according to a 2023 national survey. As Reygadas of Cántaro Azul notes, “People don’t trust the tap water here. The water sources are like open sewers.”
The contamination forces many to rely on bottled water for drinking or, ironically, opt for soda. This has led to a vicious cycle, as consumer demand for bottled beverages fuels corporate water extraction, while the government continues to fall short in improving public water systems.
In fact, Chiapas has the highest soda consumption in all of Mexico. A 2019 study by National Autonomous University of Mexico revealed that Chiapanecos consume an average of 683.8 liters (180 gallons) of Coca-Cola per person annually—enough to fill several bathtubs. By contrast, the average American consumes just 98.4 liters (26 gallons) per person each year.
The Water Crisis in San Cristóbal: Corporate Demand vs. Local Need
San Cristóbal, a city of 200,000, is home to a Coca-Cola bottling plant run by Femsa, a Latin American conglomerate with exclusive rights to produce and sell Coca-Cola products in much of the region. Femsa holds permits to extract over 300,000 gallons (1.14 million liters) of water daily from the nearby Huitepec volcano basin.
Despite Chiapas having the highest per capita water availability in Mexico, the demand from companies like Coca-Cola has led to severe water stress. More than one-third of rural residents still lack access to running water. Meanwhile, the entire country is projected to face widespread water shortages by 2050 due to climate change and prolonged droughts.
As of 2020, 11 Mexican states already suffer from water scarcity, with Mexico City at risk of reaching “day zero”—when taps run dry. This growing water crisis has sparked conflict between local communities and industries like Coca-Cola, as well as other major corporations such as Danone.
In Puebla, Indigenous activists occupied a Danone-owned bottling plant, protesting the company’s extraction of nearly 1.4 million liters of water daily from a local aquifer. Critics even allege that the water extraction is linked to the development of a massive sinkhole—400 feet (122 meters) wide—though the company denies the connection.
The Role of Big Industry in Water Scarcity
Large corporations, particularly those in the bottled water industry, have significantly reduced the availability of water for the local population. According to a 2023 report by Water Resources and Environment Journal, companies extracting water from the region for commercial use have contributed to severe depletion of aquifers, essential for drinking water.
- Bottled Water: Several multinational companies, including Coca-Cola and Nestlé, operate in the area and extract thousands of liters daily, leaving the local population with scarce resources.
- Agriculture: High water consumption by large-scale farming operations also exacerbates the crisis, draining water from local rivers and reservoirs.
Social and Economic Impact on Local Communities
The water shortage has led to rising tensions between corporations and local communities. For many residents, the struggle for water is not just an environmental issue but a matter of social justice. Indigenous communities, who traditionally relied on local water sources, are particularly affected.
- Health Risks: Limited access to clean water has led to an increase in waterborne diseases among the population.
- Economic Consequences: As industries continue to monopolize water access, small local businesses are struggling to thrive, and agricultural production has been significantly impacted.
The Fight for Water Rights
In response to these challenges, local activists and organizations have been pushing for stronger water rights protections. Community leaders, including indigenous groups, have taken to the streets, organizing protests and demanding that the government regulate water usage and prioritize local needs over commercial interests.
- Protests: In 2022, over 5,000 residents marched to the city’s main plaza to demand that local water sources be reserved for public use.
- Legal Action: Several legal battles are ongoing to challenge the licensing of water extraction by big companies.
Potential Solutions to the Water Crisis
While the challenges are significant, solutions are available. Here are some strategies being discussed to combat water depletion in San Cristóbal de las Casas:
- Stricter Regulations: Imposing limits on industrial water extraction could ensure a fairer distribution of resources.
- Rainwater Harvesting: Encouraging the collection of rainwater could help alleviate the pressure on local water sources.
- Community Water Management: Empowering local communities to manage water resources through cooperatives could offer a sustainable solution.
Recent Developments: In 2024, local authorities announced a pilot project in partnership with environmental NGOs to implement rainwater harvesting systems in the city, which could provide relief to the most vulnerable neighborhoods.
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FAQs
Why is San Cristóbal de las Casas facing a water shortage?
The water shortage is largely due to the extraction of water by large industries such as bottled water production and agriculture.
How are local communities affected by this water crisis?
Local communities, especially indigenous groups, face severe water scarcity, leading to health risks and economic hardships.
What is the local government doing to address the crisis?
Local activists are pushing for stricter regulations on industrial water extraction and legal battles to protect water rights for residents.
Which industries are contributing to the water shortage?
The bottled water industry and large-scale agriculture operations are the primary contributors to the depletion of water resources.
What can individuals do to help solve the water issue?
Supporting local organizations, advocating for water rights, and using water more responsibly are key ways individuals can help.
Are there any sustainable solutions for San Cristóbal de las Casas’ water crisis?
Solutions like stricter water regulations, rainwater harvesting, and community-based water management offer hope for resolving the crisis.
Conclusion
San Cristóbal de las Casas stands at a critical juncture in its battle for water. While the challenges are daunting, there is hope. Through collective action from local communities, government bodies, and activists, the city can reclaim its water rights and secure a sustainable future for generations to come.
