Playa del Carmen Aquifer Contamination Worsens

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, MX. — The contamination of the Playa del Carmen aquifer is worsening due to the filtration of leachates from the local landfill, which operates despite having protective geomembranes, as well as the inadequate disposal of sargassum, which has lacked a comprehensive management plan for over 13 years, according to Roberto Rojo, a member of the citizen collective Cenotes Urbanos.

"The landfill we have here is leaking into the subsoil, even though it has a geomembrane, and those leachates are going into the aquifer," he said in an interview.

He stated that the environmental impacts generated by both the landfill and sargassum management are already visible and that the situation directly threatens the urban cenotes, or natural sinkholes.

The environmentalist explained that the sargassum problem has persisted for more than a decade without an effective strategy being implemented. "We have failed to understand the sargassum issue, and for more than 13 years we have not managed its disposal properly. Where it is placed, all those leachates with heavy metals, arsenic, and other materials are leaching back into the aquifer and will reach the sea," he emphasized.

Multiple Threats to Urban Cenotes

In addition to these issues, Roberto Rojo highlighted that urban cenotes face multiple local threats, such as the use of caverns as dumping grounds, illegal wastewater discharges, and structural damage caused by housing developments.

"Many people continue to use the caves and cenotes as dumps. This is a major problem because all those leachates go into the aquifer," he denounced.

Another factor aggravating the situation, he pointed out, is the lack of impact studies in construction zones. "In these housing developments, where the machine goes in and suddenly finds the roof of a cave and breaks it, they should have done the studies beforehand to not encounter the cave, but to know it is there and build accordingly," he indicated.

Collaborative Efforts for Regulation

Currently, Cenotes Urbanos is working with the municipal Directorate of Environment on updating the cenote regulations. "Today there is a regulation; it is very basic. It is good that it exists, but it needs to be updated to the reality we have now, and we all, as citizens, need to verify that the rules are followed, because they have not been complied with and that ultimately affects us," he explained.

The collective has documented more than 300 cenotes, caves, and caverns in the urban area of Playa del Carmen, of which 170 are mapped. He added that, with more than 530 active volunteers, they seek to strengthen the protection of these ecosystems.