Fundraiser Nears Goal to Protect Cenote Water Quality

Playa del Carmen, Mexico — A citizen-led fundraising initiative to purchase field laboratories for monitoring water quality in cenotes and caves across the Yucatán Peninsula has reached 50% of its goal. The campaign, launched on May 8 by Guillermo D. Christy, a water treatment consultant and member of the citizen science organization Cenotes Urbanos, has so far raised over 34,000 pesos of its 70,000-peso target.

Empowering Communities Through Monitoring

The project aims to promote volunteerism and collaboration with schools and universities to conduct water quality assessments. According to the GoFundMe page, the initiative seeks to “empower citizens through knowledge and education on water-related issues” and “raise societal awareness about environmental and water concerns in the field.”

In the long term, Christy—also an activist with Sélvame del Tren—stated that the field laboratories will be donated to Cenotes Urbanos. The organization plans to conduct water quality monitoring with a network of over 600 volunteers established this year.

Contamination Risks in Yaxché Cave

On a recent visit to Yaxché Cave, the largest registered urban cave in Playa del Carmen, Christy and local health authorities identified contamination risks to the aquifer. The cave lies beneath residential and commercial developments, including roads and buildings.

Christy emphasized the urgency of monitoring, stating, “We were able to highlight the red flags of aquifer contamination, which pose a threat to the ecosystem, human health, and the economic stability of the region.” He also raised concerns about metal-reinforced pilings installed to support the Tren Maya infrastructure, further underscoring the need for water quality assessments.

The initiative continues to call for public support to achieve its fundraising goal and expand monitoring efforts across the peninsula.