Playa del Carmen’s Cenotes Tainted by Sewage

Playa del Carmen, Mexico — Concern is mounting in Playa del Carmen over the contamination of the local aquifer and urban cenotes due to untreated wastewater discharges, as revealed by a study from the civil organization Centinelas del Agua.

The study, conducted in collaboration with municipal authorities, professional associations, and the private sector, detected high levels of coliforms, which are indicators of fecal contamination, and nutrients in the wells that were monitored.

Source of the Contamination

According to Alejandro López Tamayo of Centinelas del Agua, the root of the problem lies in the lack of drainage infrastructure and inadequate treatment of discharges, compounded by irregular urban growth and the approval of new developments.

In neighborhoods such as Colosio and Ejido, more than 160 lots lack a connection to the drainage network. This means raw sewage goes directly into the subsoil and underground water bodies, representing a serious environmental and public health risk.

Consequences of the Pollution

The contamination in the cenotes and aquifer of Playa del Carmen does not only have a local impact. The excess nutrients from wastewater promote the proliferation of macroalgae, such as sargassum, which affects the Caribbean Sea and the tourism industry.

Furthermore, the presence of fecal contamination increases the risk of gastrointestinal and skin diseases for the local population and visitors.

"The urban cenotes are already poisoned and the tourist zone is exposed to a serious problem that is not resolved with measurements, but with concrete actions," said Alejandro López Tamayo of Centinelas del Agua.

Proposed Solutions from Authorities and Civil Society

To begin addressing the solution, Centinelas del Agua has already connected five families in the Colosio neighborhood to the sanitary drainage system, covering the construction costs with municipal authorities. However, 168 identified lots remain without a connection.

The organization is calling for municipal, state, and federal coordination to guarantee efficient wastewater treatment plants. It also insists on the need to review connections, install biodigesters, and avoid using cenotes as garbage dumps to reduce contamination.

A separate social media report highlighted the efforts of the organization Cenotes Urbanos, which conducted a cleanup of a cenote near the Selvanova subdivision. According to their data, they found nearly one ton of garbage in the cavern. The collective reports that year after year, they report the incident, but no administration has provided a definitive solution.