Water for Life follows three Latin American Indigenous community leaders…
The Age of Water
- Description
- Reviews
- Citation
- Cataloging
- Transcript
In Mexico's heartland, a community is mourning the deaths of three girls from leukemia, all in the span of a year. Elia, the local kindergarten teacher, and Nely, a mother who nearly lost her newborn, form a group of women seeking an investigation. They're met with resistance from government officials denying an underlying cause. Dr. Adrián Ortega, a hydrogeologist from the National University of Mexico supports their cause. After rigorous testing, they find that the water contains radioactive material exceeding safety standards by 300%. Their journey leads to a greater revelation: industrial farms have drained the region's aquifers, leaving behind a poisonous source of drinking water.
No reviews available.
Citation
Main credits
Alcántara Atalaya, Isabel (film director)
Alcántara, Alfredo (film director)
Stephenson, Michèle (film producer)
Brewster, Joe (film producer)
Other credits
Cinematography, Alfredo Alcántara; editing, Lawrence Jackman, Clementina Mantellini; music, Ben Fox.
Distributor subjects
No distributor subjects provided.Keywords
Mexico,Guanajuato,Latin America,Latin American,agriculture,farming,industrial farming,industrial agriculture,cancer,cancer cluster,leukemia,water pollution,water contamination,water quality,water testing,drinking water,aquifer,aquifers,radioactivity,local government,community activist,community activism,Adrián Ortega,hydroecology,hydroecologist,National University of Mexico,environmental justice; "The Age of Water"; Bullfrog Films; "La edad del agua";
THE AGE OF WATER
TRANSCRIPT
NARRATOR (OFF-SCREEN)
00:01:08:19 - 00:01:11:01
There was lots of water.
00:01:14:16 - 00:01:16:16
It flowed right out of the ground.
00:01:21:03 - 00:01:23:21
It was full of natural springs.
00:01:29:01 - 00:01:31:09
And the river would come full of water.
00:01:36:23 - 00:01:40:00
And now there’s barely any.
00:01:44:04 - 00:01:45:21
Why now?
00:01:46:15 - 00:01:48:17
What’s happening?
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:02:35:19 - 00:02:37:17
Good morning, little ones.
00:02:49:09 - 00:02:53:14
Come in sweetheart.
00:02:54:07 - 00:02:58:11
Walk along the edge here and stand there.
00:03:00:00 - 00:03:01:23
All right darlings.
00:03:01:23 - 00:03:04:04
What do you think we have here?
CHILDREN
00:03:04:04 - 00:03:05:09
Fruits.
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:03:05:09 - 00:03:06:21
But what do you call this?
CHILDREN
00:03:06:21 - 00:03:08:00
An altar!
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:03:08:00 - 00:03:09:18
Who is this altar for?
CHILDREN
00:03:09:18 - 00:03:14:21
For Mafer, Yoselyn and Yessi!
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:03:14:21 - 00:03:16:20
Why did we make them this altar?
CHILDREN
00:03:16:20 - 00:03:19:06
Because they went to heaven.
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:03:19:06 - 00:03:21:20
Yes. Because they died.
00:03:21:20 - 00:03:25:23
In their honor we made this little altar.
00:03:25:23 - 00:03:28:09
It's a Day of the Dead altar.
00:03:28:09 - 00:03:33:05
These altars are made to remember
those who have passed away.
00:03:33:05 - 00:03:39:22
In this case, for those who knew
Mafer, Yessica and Yoselyn
00:03:39:22 - 00:03:44:02
who died and were three little girls
who went to this kindergarten.
00:03:44:18 - 00:03:46:02
Go ahead sweetheart.
CHILD
00:03:46:11 - 00:03:52:21
She used to play with my toys.
00:03:52:21 - 00:03:59:17
And the last year her hair was falling off,
she went to heaven.
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:04:00:18 - 00:04:02:06
Was she your close friend?
00:04:02:06 - 00:04:04:06
You really loved her.
00:04:04:06 - 00:04:07:22
That's why we are remembering her.
We all loved her very much.
00:04:10:04 - 00:04:13:16
Let's cheer for our little angels who are in heaven
00:04:13:16 - 00:04:16:13
who we know are looking after us
00:04:16:13 - 00:04:18:20
and are with us.
CHILD
00:04:26:19 - 00:04:31:03
We come and we go.
NELY BAEZA
00:04:36:14 - 00:04:39:21
They were very close to the last girl who passed away.
00:04:40:07 - 00:04:40:22
Mafer.
00:04:43:21 - 00:04:46:22
They’d ask ‘Why her?’
00:04:47:15 - 00:04:49:23
Why did she get that illness?
00:04:52:14 - 00:04:57:14
We had no answers for them.
00:05:01:16 - 00:05:02:16
Did you fall?
00:05:05:04 - 00:05:07:02
Where does it hurt?
00:05:12:11 - 00:05:14:17
Oh you did get hurt!
00:05:19:07 - 00:05:21:17
Look.
00:05:26:23 - 00:05:29:16
My daughter was born on May 22nd.
00:05:30:19 - 00:05:33:11
21 days after being born
00:05:33:12 - 00:05:39:21
a little trickle of blood started
coming out of her bellybutton.
00:05:46:09 - 00:05:51:13
At 4 a.m. I woke up to change her diaper and check on her.
00:05:52:20 - 00:05:56:16
She was covered in blood.
00:05:57:00 - 00:05:58:23
We went to the hospital.
00:06:00:13 - 00:06:06:18
When they uncovered her,
more doctors rushed in.
00:06:11:16 - 00:06:14:21
"How did you not notice ma'am?"
I asked "Notice what?"
00:06:14:21 - 00:06:17:20
"That the baby's blood platelet count is low."
00:06:17:20 - 00:06:22:09
“How could I have noticed?
She was born here in the hospital.”
00:06:22:09 - 00:06:26:01
“The pediatrician checked her and said she was ok.”
00:06:26:01 - 00:06:27:12
Where you going?
00:06:27:12 - 00:06:29:13
I'm going to work.
00:06:29:13 - 00:06:30:06
I'll stay.
00:06:30:06 - 00:06:31:10
You'll stay.
00:06:33:14 - 00:06:36:04
You'll stay with Cristian.
00:06:36:21 - 00:06:40:13
"Ma'am, I wouldn't be too hopeful for your child."
00:06:42:04 - 00:06:46:02
"She'll stay with us. You go home."
00:06:53:18 - 00:06:57:01
She was hospitalized for 8 days.
00:07:01:12 - 00:07:04:10
I'm going, Jimena.
00:07:04:10 - 00:07:05:17
Say bye to mom.
00:07:05:17 - 00:07:07:05
I’m leaving.
00:07:17:19 - 00:07:19:22
Make sure you behave.
00:07:21:00 - 00:07:21:16
You think to yourself:
00:07:21:16 - 00:07:23:23
"When will the day come when she's no longer there?"
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:07:49:09 - 00:07:52:07
When I arrived to this community, one of the girls
00:07:53:01 - 00:07:57:08
who's name was Yoselyn,
started looking a little emaciated.
00:07:58:12 - 00:08:00:09
She was four years old.
00:08:02:03 - 00:08:03:22
She stopped coming to school.
00:08:03:22 - 00:08:08:12
Later we found out she'd been
diagnosed with leukemia.
00:08:16:06 - 00:08:20:16
The following school year, another girl ... Mafer
00:08:20:16 - 00:08:23:00
she also started looking weak.
00:08:23:00 - 00:08:26:07
She started getting spots
00:08:26:12 - 00:08:29:20
and bruises on her little arms and legs.
00:08:31:12 - 00:08:33:07
In the second-grade class
00:08:33:07 - 00:08:37:05
we noticed symptoms on another girl
00:08:37:06 - 00:08:39:00
Yessica.
00:08:40:01 - 00:08:42:13
And she gets the same diagnosis:
00:08:43:00 - 00:08:44:21
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
00:08:45:22 - 00:08:51:04
Vans from the health department
started showing up
00:08:51:04 - 00:08:54:23
calling through a loudspeaker:
"Town meeting at the school."
00:08:56:01 - 00:09:00:10
They told us not to be alarmed.
All of this was normal.
00:09:00:10 - 00:09:03:10
"No, no, no Miss. Let's not scare folks."
00:09:03:21 - 00:09:07:07
They never returned.
00:09:07:07 - 00:09:08:18
That was that.
REPORTER
00:09:12:17 - 00:09:17:12
Will you be ordering the Secretary of Health
to look into the cases of leukemia?
MIGUEL MARQUEZ MARQUEZ, GOVERNOR, STATE OF GUANAJUATO
00:09:17:12 - 00:09:22:21
Of course.
But first they have to find the cause.
00:09:23:23 - 00:09:27:05
Just tell me what it is and that's it.
00:09:27:18 - 00:09:29:15
Then I'll act immediately.
00:09:29:15 - 00:09:32:20
But this is the federal government's responsibility.
HUMBERTO NAVARRO, DEPUTY, NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION
00:09:39:09 - 00:09:42:08
I want you to see this.
00:09:42:19 - 00:09:45:04
This. This image.
00:09:45:04 - 00:09:49:02
This postcard image if you will
00:09:49:02 - 00:09:52:17
represents life and represents growth
00:09:52:17 - 00:09:56:01
and represents vitality for the state
00:09:56:01 - 00:09:58:14
and for the country, of course.
00:10:00:18 - 00:10:02:23
This water guarantees
00:10:02:23 - 00:10:05:15
that we can irrigate Guanajuato’s farmland.
00:10:24:02 - 00:10:27:09
I'm a hat guy, ok?
00:10:27:09 - 00:10:33:16
All my life, my family have been hat people.
00:10:34:14 - 00:10:37:07
It's our trademark.
00:10:40:08 - 00:10:45:12
This institution is responsible
00:10:45:12 - 00:10:50:15
for the development of this state
in every sense of the word.
00:10:50:15 - 00:10:54:13
It’s not only farm owners who come to this office.
00:10:54:13 - 00:11:00:03
We get industrial leaders, local and state authorities
00:11:00:03 - 00:11:03:19
both national and international investors
00:11:03:19 - 00:11:07:09
who all primarily want to know,
before they invest in this state,
00:11:07:09 - 00:11:12:02
they want to know the status of the groundwater
and how much water they can use.
00:11:14:09 - 00:11:15:14
Let's go gentlemen.
00:11:20:15 - 00:11:23:09
Guanajuato’s farmland
00:11:23:09 - 00:11:29:07
is one of the major powerhouses in this nation’s food production system.
00:11:33:12 - 00:11:35:01
Let's remember that
00:11:35:01 - 00:11:37:20
many of the products grown in Guanajuato
00:11:38:02 - 00:11:40:13
are served in the United States, in Canada
00:11:40:15 - 00:11:42:16
and in other countries of the world.
00:11:46:07 - 00:11:48:20
We are a country that exports.
00:11:55:18 - 00:11:57:08
We rank first place.
00:11:57:08 - 00:11:58:19
First place in greens
00:11:59:13 - 00:12:01:15
first place in strawberries
00:12:01:15 - 00:12:05:07
second place in lettuce and asparagus.
00:12:08:23 - 00:12:12:08
We are among the top states in the country
00:12:13:14 - 00:12:20:12
that are home to the major automakers in Mexico.
00:12:23:20 - 00:12:26:13
Our cities have grown in population
00:12:26:20 - 00:12:31:22
thanks to the job opportunities we offer
00:12:31:22 - 00:12:36:21
and that's caused folks from all parts of
Mexico to relocate here.
00:12:44:18 - 00:12:49:21
And all the cities have boomed.
00:12:54:12 - 00:12:59:17
Farmland, like industries, like cities, demand water.
00:13:01:01 - 00:13:04:06
Yes, our duty is to care for the water
00:13:05:14 - 00:13:08:22
but without discouraging investment.
00:13:11:04 - 00:13:15:18
So it is truly a challenge that we have every day.
NELY BAEZA
00:13:25:04 - 00:13:27:04
I became an example.
00:13:28:11 - 00:13:31:16
God let me keep my little girl...but not theirs.
00:13:32:16 - 00:13:35:00
Just imagine the pain they're feeling.
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:13:35:21 - 00:13:37:18
The day Maria Fernanda
00:13:39:07 - 00:13:41:10
lay dying
00:13:41:10 - 00:13:43:18
I swore to her we'd do something about this.
00:13:43:20 - 00:13:47:13
I swore we'd find the causes of her death.
00:13:47:17 - 00:13:51:09
And that no other child would die from this disease.
NELY BAEZA
00:13:52:11 - 00:13:57:17
We'd always talk about doing something,
but no one was taking action.
00:13:58:18 - 00:14:01:21
What caused the girls to get leukemia?
00:14:02:22 - 00:14:05:10
That’s what we have to investigate.
00:14:05:21 - 00:14:07:15
What caused it?
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:14:09:21 - 00:14:15:14
So, we broke into a city council meeting
00:14:16:06 - 00:14:20:04
and asked the mayor to intervene.
00:14:25:10 - 00:14:28:20
They began laughing and mocking us
00:14:28:20 - 00:14:32:06
and didn’t give us any solutions.
ADRIAN ORTEGA GUERERO, PHD, HYDROGEOLOGIST, NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO
00:14:35:08 - 00:14:37:11
Ready?
00:14:46:09 - 00:14:51:04
There’s the weather station.
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:14:55:16 - 00:15:00:03
In an edition of the newspaper we saw an interview with Dr. Adrián
00:15:00:05 - 00:15:03:21
that he had given about water pollution.
00:15:03:23 - 00:15:07:21
Well, we were looking for someone to help us.
00:15:07:21 - 00:15:10:20
Initially we had thought about reaching out to
the University of Querétaro
00:15:10:20 - 00:15:12:20
but when we saw that interview we were like:
00:15:12:20 - 00:15:16:02
“He’s from the National Autonomous University of Mexico
and he’s based in a nearby campus!”
00:15:16:14 - 00:15:18:21
“We can reach out for help and see what happens”.
ADRIAN ORTEGA GUERERO, PHD, HYDROGEOLOGIST, NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO
00:15:21:14 - 00:15:27:04
An aquifer is a geological formation that allows for
00:15:27:04 - 00:15:31:07
the movement and storage of groundwater.
00:15:31:07 - 00:15:35:17
But it is important to note that the journey is slow.
00:15:35:18 - 00:15:39:09
Water moves over hundreds or thousands of years.
00:15:40:18 - 00:15:43:23
I’ve always been fascinated with water.
00:15:44:13 - 00:15:46:20
My grandmother had a well.
00:15:46:20 - 00:15:49:13
It was delicious to arrive, take out the bucket
00:15:49:13 - 00:15:51:06
and dunk it on yourself.
00:15:51:06 - 00:15:53:17
It was an amazing freshness.
00:15:53:19 - 00:15:56:19
To drink water and
00:15:57:00 - 00:15:58:22
feel the cold on your body.
00:16:00:00 - 00:16:01:19
It's a very beautiful feeling.
00:16:02:13 - 00:16:04:09
Which was later lost.
NELY BAEZA
00:16:08:05 - 00:16:11:03
Nely: People are scared of me now.
ADRIAN ORTEGA GUERERO, PHD, HYDROGEOLOGIST, NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO
00:16:11:08 - 00:16:15:21
They’re scared of all of you.
00:16:15:21 - 00:16:20:21
But I think you're playing an interesting role
00:16:20:21 - 00:16:22:09
by serving your community.
NELY BAEZA
00:16:22:09 - 00:16:26:08
Sure, Doctor, but everyone’s treating us
like gossiping ladies.
00:16:26:08 - 00:16:28:03
They call us fat ladies.
00:16:28:03 - 00:16:30:04
I tell them, “Don’t be like that.”
ADRIAN ORTEGA GUERERO, PHD, HYDROGEOLOGIST, NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO
00:16:30:04 - 00:16:33:04
Jeez they're calling you names...
00:16:36:09 - 00:16:39:18
I haven’t taken readings for over a month, right?
00:16:39:21 - 00:16:40:16
Two?
00:16:41:06 - 00:16:43:04
It should be enough by now.
00:16:45:16 - 00:16:49:02
Make sure the dog doesn't get out.
00:16:51:14 - 00:16:54:21
From where I live to La Cantera
00:16:54:23 - 00:16:59:19
it’s three kilometers, it's very close.
00:17:00:06 - 00:17:02:04
Could I please borrow the...
00:17:03:19 - 00:17:05:13
My wife and I were teaching a course.
00:17:06:09 - 00:17:08:13
There was a group of people who were from La Cantera.
00:17:09:01 - 00:17:12:22
So I asked them what was happening and they told me about the girls.
00:17:13:19 - 00:17:18:02
So we’re trying to understand the cause of the illnesses.
00:17:19:19 - 00:17:21:12
They’ve formed a group called MAYOYE
00:17:21:12 - 00:17:23:20
which are the initials of the three girls who passed away:
00:17:24:02 - 00:17:26:08
Marifer, Yoselyn and Yessica.
00:17:26:11 - 00:17:27:23
MAYOYE.
00:17:29:03 - 00:17:34:12
It was very important because they gave us access
to the families of the girls who had died.
00:17:37:15 - 00:17:42:20
This is the monitoring station
that's storing all the data.
00:17:45:10 - 00:17:49:15
We are working on three areas:
00:17:50:01 - 00:17:53:15
contaminants in water, in groundwater
00:17:53:15 - 00:17:57:16
contaminants in the soil and in the air.
00:17:57:16 - 00:18:03:05
So one of the fundamental ways of knowing
00:18:03:05 - 00:18:07:12
the direction of the wind is a station like this,
00:18:07:12 - 00:18:10:02
especially because there's industry nearby
00:18:10:02 - 00:18:14:07
and according to members of the community
00:18:14:07 - 00:18:17:14
they get extremely unpleasant odors during the day, right?
WOMAN
00:18:17:14 - 00:18:18:06
Yes, in the morning.
ADRIAN ORTEGA GUERERO, PHD, HYDROGEOLOGIST, NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO
00:18:18:06 - 00:18:19:04
In the morning?
00:18:19:04 - 00:18:21:18
Coming from the industrial area.
00:18:23:07 - 00:18:26:21
We have to keep looking for other possible factors.
00:18:30:05 - 00:18:33:17
We have to analyze all the possibilities
00:18:33:17 - 00:18:35:08
including contamination in the past
00:18:35:08 - 00:18:42:13
and if that caused the girls to
develop their illness.
00:18:44:02 - 00:18:47:23
In La Cantera there have already been five deaths from leukemia
00:18:48:03 - 00:18:52:03
not only in girls under 12, but also in adults.
00:18:52:17 - 00:18:57:14
It surpasses the national average
and the State of Guanajuato’s average.
00:18:59:01 - 00:19:04:18
It’s hard to believe that despite us
trying to solve a problem
00:19:04:18 - 00:19:08:18
the authorities have greatly limited our access
00:19:08:18 - 00:19:12:20
even to the town’s drinking water well.
CESAR ARIAS, FOUNDING MEMBER, EL CHARCO DEL INGENIO BOTANICAL GARDEN
00:19:44:11 - 00:19:46:22
There's a powerful legend of El Chan.
00:19:49:20 - 00:19:54:21
It’s like a protective spirit of the springs.
00:19:58:05 - 00:20:02:11
In Mesoamerican mythology there were
creatures from the underworld.
00:20:05:15 - 00:20:11:16
Their points of entry were
caves, ravines and natural springs.
00:20:14:11 - 00:20:17:22
El Chan, sometimes he grants favors, he is mischievous.
00:20:19:21 - 00:20:22:16
And sometimes he shows his terrible power
00:20:22:16 - 00:20:25:09
to humans who dare to approach.
00:20:32:08 - 00:20:37:07
The history of this region has always been linked to water.
00:20:38:04 - 00:20:41:01
The memory that I have since I was a kid
00:20:41:17 - 00:20:44:11
is that San Miguel had springs.
00:20:45:20 - 00:20:47:15
A huge flow of water.
00:20:49:02 - 00:20:54:17
This allowed for not only the abundance of water
for orchards and irrigation
00:20:55:09 - 00:20:59:13
but also to power the mills
00:20:59:13 - 00:21:03:22
that initially ground grain and later on a textile industry.
00:21:04:09 - 00:21:07:00
This made Guanajuato develop
00:21:07:00 - 00:21:08:16
as an economic powerhouse
00:21:09:01 - 00:21:11:13
driven by water.
00:21:13:23 - 00:21:16:23
After World War II
00:21:17:07 - 00:21:20:02
massive plantations are established
00:21:20:02 - 00:21:23:02
for export to the United States.
00:21:26:20 - 00:21:30:21
At a certain time of year
the northern United States is inhibited by cold
00:21:31:00 - 00:21:32:09
but not here.
00:21:33:11 - 00:21:36:03
And with the free trade agreements, boom!
00:21:36:03 - 00:21:38:02
It explodes completely, there is a production boom.
00:21:39:23 - 00:21:43:02
Broccoli is a bag of water, right?
00:21:43:08 - 00:21:47:08
So we are exporting from a semi-desert area
00:21:47:15 - 00:21:51:11
bags of water to the United States.
00:21:53:11 - 00:21:55:06
They are big companies.
00:21:56:19 - 00:21:58:19
They take all the water
00:21:58:19 - 00:22:01:03
and when there is no more, they leave.
00:22:03:19 - 00:22:07:05
This whole water table began to lower more and more
00:22:07:05 - 00:22:09:02
and it was no longer 10 meters below the surface
00:22:09:02 - 00:22:13:04
but 50 and then 100 and then 200 meters.
00:22:16:01 - 00:22:19:23
So the natural springs started to die off.
ADRIAN ORTEGA GUERERO, PHD, HYDROGEOLOGIST, NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO
00:22:24:22 - 00:22:26:01
What is an aquifer?
00:22:26:20 - 00:22:28:11
It’s the geological area
00:22:28:11 - 00:22:32:04
where groundwater circulates and is stored.
00:22:33:08 - 00:22:36:21
It is a product of the hydrological cycle over thousands of years.
00:22:37:13 - 00:22:39:09
But the aquifer has a limit.
00:22:39:15 - 00:22:42:00
It has a certain amount of water stored inside
00:22:42:09 - 00:22:43:21
and that is finite.
00:22:44:17 - 00:22:47:15
In the case of Mexico, groundwater
00:22:47:15 - 00:22:50:14
represents 97% of the water
00:22:50:15 - 00:22:55:09
and only 3% is surface water, such as rivers and lakes.
00:22:55:19 - 00:23:00:07
So they are the most important source of water for humanity.
00:23:03:12 - 00:23:07:21
So when too much water is extracted through wells
00:23:08:04 - 00:23:11:14
it begins to compromise the aquifer.
00:23:13:11 - 00:23:17:17
Around one billion cubic meters per year are extracted from this aquifer.
00:23:19:10 - 00:23:21:21
The extraction is so excessive that
00:23:21:21 - 00:23:23:19
the safe capacity of the aquifer
00:23:23:22 - 00:23:27:17
was already exceeded by 50%.
00:23:32:13 - 00:23:34:03
That is to say,
00:23:34:03 - 00:23:38:15
that half of the wells should never have been drilled.
00:23:44:12 - 00:23:45:19
It's like a bank account.
00:23:46:08 - 00:23:49:23
If I take out more than what there is,
at some point I'm going to empty it.
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:24:08:21 - 00:24:12:01
The air was being studied, the land was being worked on
00:24:12:07 - 00:24:14:04
but the water was missing.
00:24:16:07 - 00:24:22:01
So we submitted a request for access to the well.
00:24:24:12 - 00:24:28:23
And that’s when the problems with the municipality began.
00:24:31:08 - 00:24:35:23
Three, four months went by and no answer.
00:24:38:03 - 00:24:44:12
To get attention, we felt we needed to stage a protest
during the Mayor's State of the Union address.
00:24:47:17 - 00:24:50:16
As soon as it began we pulled out our signs.
00:24:50:16 - 00:24:53:17
“No more deaths from leukemia.
We ask for access to the well.”
00:24:53:17 - 00:24:57:00
“We demand access to La Cantera’s well”
00:24:59:13 - 00:25:03:08
Everyone stopped watching the address
and turned toward us.
00:25:04:09 - 00:25:07:05
They started sending people ordering us to sit down.
00:25:09:19 - 00:25:13:18
But we didn't sit,
we all remained standing.
00:25:20:13 - 00:25:26:08
They granted us access to the water main
on the Mayor’s last week in office.
ADRIAN ORTEGA GUERERO, PHD, HYDROGEOLOGIST, NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO
00:25:43:19 - 00:25:46:06
Let me show you what we’re doing.
00:25:46:06 - 00:25:47:15
How are you?
00:25:49:10 - 00:25:56:04
The goal is to record the water temperature, conductivity
00:25:56:04 - 00:26:00:06
to see at what point everything stabilizes.
00:26:00:15 - 00:26:09:05
The plan is to figure out the best time
to sample the water next week.
FILIBERTO LOPEZ, MAYOR, LA CANTERA
00:26:17:17 - 00:26:19:19
What happens if you take a little water out
00:26:19:19 - 00:26:23:08
so that it’s like the others.
ADRIAN ORTEGA GUERERO, PHD, HYDROGEOLOGIST, NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO
00:26:23:18 - 00:26:25:07
Oh, sure...
00:26:28:02 - 00:26:29:07
Hello?
00:26:31:22 - 00:26:37:20
Yes, I'm here at the water main in La Cantera.
00:26:37:20 - 00:26:45:03
I'm here with all the local authorities.
They all decided to show up...
NELY BAEZA
00:26:49:14 - 00:26:50:21
We brought you some water.
ADRIAN ORTEGA GUERERO, PHD, HYDROGEOLOGIST, NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO
00:26:50:21 - 00:26:51:09
Oh, thank you.
NELY BAEZA
00:26:51:16 - 00:26:53:10
It's bottled water don't worry.
ADRIAN ORTEGA GUERERO, PHD, HYDROGEOLOGIST, NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO
00:26:53:10 - 00:26:54:15
Thank you.
00:26:55:23 - 00:26:59:18
I need to tell you that I might have to...
00:27:01:00 - 00:27:06:10
I might have to ask you to continue without me.
00:27:08:00 - 00:27:13:00
My wife called and her father passed away this morning.
00:27:15:08 - 00:27:17:20
I guess that's just...
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:27:17:20 - 00:27:20:09
So you have to leave for Mexico City?
00:27:20:09 - 00:27:24:08
Yes. In a little bit.
But we have to finish this process.
00:27:24:08 - 00:27:27:10
You saw what I was doing.
00:27:28:11 - 00:27:31:10
I'll ask you to continue doing that.
00:27:32:05 - 00:27:34:07
How does that sound?
00:27:34:07 - 00:27:38:08
Actually you guys can do the next reading.
00:27:38:08 - 00:27:40:01
Yes?
00:27:42:04 - 00:27:46:08
We can start with Jeni and take turns.
00:27:46:23 - 00:27:51:02
So you see this needle? It indicates the pressure...
00:27:51:02 - 00:27:54:18
...726, 725, 723...
00:27:54:18 - 00:28:00:15
...if the electrode is jostled it will give us false PH values...
00:28:00:19 - 00:28:06:00
A little more and don’t touch the glass.
00:28:06:01 - 00:28:08:12
You have to immerse it.
00:28:11:21 - 00:28:16:08
So they'll be helping me. I'm going to have to depart.
GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL
00:28:16:08 - 00:28:19:23
Is the girl part of the community?
ADRIAN ORTEGA GUERERO, PHD, HYDROGEOLOGIST, NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO
00:28:19:23 - 00:28:21:22
Yes she is.
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:28:21:22 - 00:28:23:03
If you need anything, just let us know.
00:28:25:12 - 00:28:26:22
Thank you.
NELY BAEZA
00:28:58:14 - 00:29:01:01
Nely: 34.3
00:29:09:16 - 00:29:12:00
424.
00:29:12:14 - 00:29:14:11
Done.
CHILD
00:29:33:19 - 00:29:39:02
Over by my house is a really big well,
and below it are the train tracks.
00:29:39:07 - 00:29:44:08
One time my brother grabbed a turtle
00:29:44:08 - 00:29:48:15
and my other brother stepped on a garden hose.
00:29:48:15 - 00:29:49:19
It was a snake.
00:29:49:19 - 00:29:51:10
It was a garden hose.
00:29:52:18 - 00:29:55:19
They say a girl drowned there.
00:29:55:19 - 00:29:59:03
And at night you can see her hanging from a tree.
00:29:59:03 - 00:30:01:03
Yep. In one of those.
MAMA ROSA
00:30:23:06 - 00:30:27:05
There's barely any here...
00:30:29:15 - 00:30:32:14
Quelites.
00:30:33:14 - 00:30:35:12
Since I was a little girl
00:30:37:02 - 00:30:39:00
I’ve learned about quelites.
00:30:40:01 - 00:30:42:19
You add a little salt, a little garlic...
00:30:43:13 - 00:30:45:16
And that's it.
00:30:45:22 - 00:30:47:22
They're very tasty.
00:30:47:22 - 00:30:49:20
And they're free of charge.
00:30:52:03 - 00:30:54:20
They only grow with water from the sky.
00:31:00:01 - 00:31:02:09
My son-in-law Ricardo,
00:31:02:09 - 00:31:05:01
he says his teeth are falling out
00:31:05:01 - 00:31:06:12
and I tell him
00:31:06:12 - 00:31:08:19
I remember way back when
00:31:08:21 - 00:31:11:00
when my husband died
00:31:11:15 - 00:31:13:18
he’d never lost a tooth.
00:31:14:05 - 00:31:15:02
Never.
00:31:15:15 - 00:31:19:20
My father-in-law died at 73.
00:31:19:22 - 00:31:20:23
Never.
00:31:20:23 - 00:31:23:18
He died with all his teeth.
00:31:23:20 - 00:31:26:01
And why now?
00:31:26:01 - 00:31:28:22
What’s happening?
00:31:30:03 - 00:31:31:19
Almost all of us now
00:31:32:03 - 00:31:34:21
have dentures.
CHILD
00:32:02:16 - 00:32:04:02
Alright, let’s take a look at that.
00:32:08:03 - 00:32:09:15
It’s not looking good either.
00:32:37:02 - 00:32:39:18
Do you want an apple?
00:32:40:05 - 00:32:42:15
Let me wash it.
ARCHIVAL VIDEO
00:33:09:18 - 00:33:11:08
When Doctor Ortega arrived
00:33:11:17 - 00:33:14:18
to expose the water problem
00:33:14:19 - 00:33:18:04
well it left us all sleepless.
00:33:18:08 - 00:33:23:12
If we don’t look at the problem objectively
00:33:23:12 - 00:33:28:02
we’re going to find that nature will take her toll
00:33:28:02 - 00:33:30:07
the day we least expect it.
ADRIAN ORTEGA GUERERO, PHD, HYDROGEOLOGIST, NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO
00:33:31:01 - 00:33:32:19
In 1998
00:33:33:04 - 00:33:36:11
we were given the opportunity to do a comprehensive study
00:33:37:00 - 00:33:40:11
to understand the entire water cycle and in particular the aquifer.
00:33:41:16 - 00:33:45:16
It was the best opportunity of my life to do a full investigation
00:33:45:16 - 00:33:50:01
to determine how groundwater works.
00:33:51:15 - 00:33:53:16
I had run the numbers previously
00:33:53:18 - 00:33:55:21
using a mathematical model
00:33:55:21 - 00:33:59:15
to see the times it takes for water to travel
00:34:00:01 - 00:34:01:13
but I had never measured them.
00:34:02:20 - 00:34:06:17
And the next question was how old is the water?
00:34:09:18 - 00:34:10:15
To do this
00:34:10:15 - 00:34:14:18
we measured the activity of carbon 13 and carbon 14
00:34:15:00 - 00:34:19:05
which is used to date groundwater.
00:34:20:14 - 00:34:24:11
And we were surprised by the fact that the ages
00:34:24:11 - 00:34:27:15
were between 5,000 to 35,000 years.
00:34:30:12 - 00:34:33:05
It's a very ancient water
00:34:33:16 - 00:34:35:19
that reached the aquifer during the Ice Age
00:34:37:12 - 00:34:40:18
when mammoths used to roam this land.
00:34:44:05 - 00:34:47:05
And besides telling us that
we’ve used up the younger water
00:34:47:10 - 00:34:51:07
it’s showing us that the aquifer
is no longer replenishing.
00:34:52:17 - 00:34:56:16
We are using water that is no longer renewable on a human scale
00:34:57:06 - 00:35:00:16
due to excess water extraction in the aquifer.
00:35:01:23 - 00:35:04:02
To replenish this aquifer...
00:35:04:14 - 00:35:06:16
it would take thousands of years.
00:35:07:03 - 00:35:08:05
Many generations.
00:35:09:14 - 00:35:11:16
This ancient water
00:35:11:20 - 00:35:15:04
contains a high concentration of chemical elements.
00:35:16:10 - 00:35:21:17
In this region we found between 50,000 and 60,000 people
00:35:21:17 - 00:35:26:07
who are consuming water
with high levels of fluoride and arsenic.
RESEARCHER
00:35:27:14 - 00:35:30:19
Could you please show me your teeth?
00:35:31:08 - 00:35:35:18
When fluoride is consumed,
it becomes accumulated in the body.
00:35:36:09 - 00:35:45:19
As it accumulates it reaches levels
that can be toxic to the body.
ADRIAN ORTEGA GUERERO, PHD, HYDROGEOLOGIST, NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO
00:35:46:13 - 00:35:51:08
But the most serious damage takes place in the neurotransmitters
00:35:51:08 - 00:35:54:22
where the IQ in children
00:35:55:00 - 00:35:57:13
can be reduced by up to 40%.
00:35:58:13 - 00:36:01:09
The potential risk for the watershed
00:36:01:09 - 00:36:05:20
is that we reach areas where the water is much older
00:36:06:17 - 00:36:11:02
and could contain a greater number of contaminants.
00:36:19:17 - 00:36:22:02
Even though it is known, nothing has been done.
00:36:22:09 - 00:36:22:21
Why?
00:36:23:23 - 00:36:26:02
Because it affects many interests.
00:36:32:01 - 00:36:33:18
Hello?
00:36:33:18 - 00:36:38:20
I'm going to read the statement that will be
handed to the group MAYOYE
00:36:38:23 - 00:36:40:06
and to the community.
GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL
00:36:40:06 - 00:36:41:12
Will you allow me?
ADRIAN ORTEGA GUERERO, PHD, HYDROGEOLOGIST, NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO
00:36:41:12 - 00:36:44:11
No, please allow me to finish.
00:36:45:06 - 00:36:47:17
I'm going to read the test results
00:36:48:16 - 00:36:51:06
from the letter which is also being delivered.
00:36:51:06 - 00:36:55:05
We're also attaching all documents
received from the lab.
00:36:55:12 - 00:36:56:23
Number One:
00:36:56:23 - 00:37:01:17
After a 7-month long analysis,
researchers from the Center of Geoscience
00:37:01:17 - 00:37:03:21
concluded that the water
00:37:03:21 - 00:37:07:09
has concentrations of radioactivity
00:37:07:09 - 00:37:13:04
which could be linked to
cases of leukemia and other cancers.
00:37:13:14 - 00:37:16:16
Further testing is recommended
00:37:16:16 - 00:37:21:01
to identify the levels of toxicity and sources
00:37:21:01 - 00:37:23:21
to determine if there's a direct correlation
00:37:23:21 - 00:37:27:16
between the contamination
and the illnesses of the people in the area.
00:37:28:08 - 00:37:29:11
Three:
00:37:29:11 - 00:37:34:00
While these studies are ongoing,
it's suggested that the town's residents
00:37:34:00 - 00:37:36:23
not consume drinking water from the town water main
00:37:37:07 - 00:37:40:16
and be provided with an alternate source of water
00:37:41:00 - 00:37:44:22
and adequate information on the health implications
00:37:44:22 - 00:37:46:23
of consuming the water.
GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL
00:37:48:22 - 00:37:51:21
Allow me?
00:37:52:17 - 00:37:55:16
Will you show me your document?
00:37:55:16 - 00:37:59:15
Look people, I'm the Local Water Director ...
00:37:59:21 - 00:38:04:20
We all know that an official document always
has to be signed by a specific authority.
00:38:05:05 - 00:38:07:15
The document that the doctor just read is by somebody else.
00:38:07:19 - 00:38:09:11
Is it signed by any authority?
00:38:09:18 - 00:38:12:09
I would have thought it would be endorsed.
00:38:12:15 - 00:38:17:10
I do not see the signature of any authority and no official seal.
ADRIAN ORTEGA GUERERO, PHD, HYDROGEOLOGIST, NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO
00:38:17:19 - 00:38:20:10
Well, it’s a press release.
GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL
00:38:20:12 - 00:38:22:09
Fine, but it has to be...
00:38:23:19 - 00:38:28:21
The group that's here today didn't extend an invitation.
00:38:29:12 - 00:38:31:09
I'm only here cause I heard from my neighbors.
NELY BAEZA
00:38:31:09 - 00:38:34:01
Excuse me, we didn't extend an invitation
00:38:34:01 - 00:38:37:20
because we'd been dealing directly with the Mayor
00:38:37:20 - 00:38:42:03
and he told us he is 'the law' and the only one in charge
00:38:42:03 - 00:38:48:22
So he said he'd communicate with the corresponding authorities.
00:38:48:22 - 00:38:53:08
That's why we sent this directly to him, in writing.
00:38:53:08 - 00:38:55:04
Now he has it.
00:38:55:04 - 00:38:59:22
If anyone in the community would like any information,
it's at your disposal.
ADRIAN ORTEGA GUERERO, PHD, HYDROGEOLOGIST, NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO
00:38:59:22 - 00:39:03:09
The point of this gathering was to hand over the test results.
00:39:03:09 - 00:39:06:08
They've now been handed to the group, and to the community.
00:39:06:17 - 00:39:12:04
The University will be at the disposal
of the group and the community
00:39:12:04 - 00:39:14:13
so we can continue supporting you.
HUMBERTO NAVARRO, DEPUTY, NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION
00:39:30:00 - 00:39:31:10
The information I have
00:39:31:13 - 00:39:37:05
which comes from the State’s Health Department
00:39:37:05 - 00:39:41:22
shows that these cases of cancer and leukemia in this area
00:39:41:22 - 00:39:45:10
are most likely caused by genetic factors.
LOUDSPEAKER
00:39:48:19 - 00:39:51:06
A message from the Mayor's Office:
00:39:51:06 - 00:39:55:10
We will be shutting down drinking water services
for all residents
00:39:55:10 - 00:40:01:17
and providing water with trucks and storage tanks.
00:40:02:20 - 00:40:06:11
Please put your water containers outside
so we can better serve you.
00:40:06:11 - 00:40:09:10
Thank you for understanding.
WOMAN
00:40:24:20 - 00:40:27:19
Excuse me, why did they send you guys?
MUNICIPAL WORKER
00:40:28:21 - 00:40:31:20
The folks from the water office.
00:40:35:02 - 00:40:37:03
They've shut the town's water.
WOMAN
00:40:37:03 - 00:40:38:20
Really?
00:40:40:12 - 00:40:43:16
They didn't warn us.
NEWS ANCHOR (OFF SCREEN)
00:40:55:11 - 00:41:00:06
Adela Micha (News Anchor): It's 8:35 am.
00:41:00:06 - 00:41:02:06
I've been reporting
00:41:02:06 - 00:41:04:14
that in the town of La Cantera
00:41:05:05 - 00:41:08:04
this is in Guanajuato
00:41:08:15 - 00:41:11:22
residents are claiming
00:41:12:13 - 00:41:16:13
their water source is contaminated.
00:41:16:19 - 00:41:23:01
Studies have been made by UNAM scientists
00:41:24:19 - 00:41:29:12
which show high levels of radioactivity.
00:41:29:20 - 00:41:34:14
300 times over the legal limit.
00:41:34:14 - 00:41:41:01
Joining me now is the Deputy of CONAGUA in Guanajuato
00:41:41:01 - 00:41:44:12
Humberto Carlo Navarro.
Mr. Deputy, good morning.
HUMBERTO NAVARRO, DEPUTY, NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION (OFF SCREEN)
00:41:45:17 - 00:41:49:20
Adela, good morning. Thank you for this opportunity.
00:41:49:20 - 00:41:56:20
What can you tell us about the test results
that have been published?
00:41:56:20 - 00:42:03:16
Adela, I truly appreciate your question,
because you give me the chance to tell you
00:42:03:16 - 00:42:05:22
that neither the federal government...
00:42:05:22 - 00:42:08:01
nor the National Water Commission...
00:42:08:01 - 00:42:10:04
nor the state government...
00:42:10:04 - 00:42:12:15
nor the municipal administration...
00:42:13:12 - 00:42:16:11
acknowledge these studies.
00:42:16:11 - 00:42:19:10
What we do have today
00:42:19:10 - 00:42:22:09
are test results for water quality
00:42:22:09 - 00:42:26:01
which allow us to strongly state
00:42:26:01 - 00:42:31:02
that it's a water source that has no problem
00:42:31:02 - 00:42:34:01
which can safely be used for drinking water.
NEWS ANCHOR (OFF SCREEN)
00:42:34:01 - 00:42:36:17
So you definitely rule it out.
JOURNALIST
00:42:43:15 - 00:42:46:19
Now Nely, are you telling us
00:42:46:19 - 00:42:48:14
that you already have a lot of pressure from people
00:42:48:14 - 00:42:49:09
asking you what you are going to do?
NELY BAEZA
00:42:49:09 - 00:42:50:02
Yes.
00:42:50:11 - 00:42:53:13
The doctor told us to talk to the mayor
00:42:53:14 - 00:42:57:23
and tell him to hold a meeting to warn the community
00:42:57:23 - 00:43:02:13
that the water is not suitable for consumption
but that it will be available for household use.
00:43:02:17 - 00:43:07:22
They are bringing drinking water in containers,
separate from the household water
00:43:08:16 - 00:43:10:22
until we reach an agreement.
00:43:11:08 - 00:43:12:15
Find a solution.
00:43:12:15 - 00:43:13:03
Yes.
00:43:13:15 - 00:43:15:04
I didn’t expect this!
WOMAN
00:43:20:09 - 00:43:22:08
What's up with the water, ladies?
NELY BAEZA
00:43:22:08 - 00:43:23:22
That's it. They've shut it off.
WOMAN
00:43:23:22 - 00:43:26:13
We're not going to put up with this nonsense.
00:43:28:08 - 00:43:34:03
The whole point was to find a solution,
not just shut the water.
00:43:34:03 - 00:43:35:08
Not this.
00:43:37:20 - 00:43:40:19
Unfortunately I have to tell you this:
00:43:40:19 - 00:43:44:14
people are blaming your group.
00:43:44:14 - 00:43:47:01
Unfortunately that's how it goes:
00:43:47:01 - 00:43:50:00
“Let's blame whoever is in front of us.”
00:43:50:20 - 00:43:52:22
Not the actual culprit.
00:43:58:22 - 00:44:01:13
Will you be stopping every day?
00:44:01:20 - 00:44:05:01
You're saying just today. This is all we've got.
00:44:05:01 - 00:44:07:18
We're not prepared for this.
WOMAN
00:44:14:12 - 00:44:15:20
Here's what I think:
00:44:15:20 - 00:44:22:13
If this group 'MAYOYE' started
all these investigations to benefit the community,
00:44:22:13 - 00:44:25:20
now it's up to them to find a solution.
JOURNALIST
00:44:25:20 - 00:44:28:19
Do you think it's up to MAYOYE or the government?
WOMAN
00:44:28:19 - 00:44:30:01
Well...
JOURNALIST
00:44:30:01 - 00:44:31:12
Who do you buy your water from?
WOMAN
00:44:31:12 - 00:44:33:08
The government...
00:44:33:08 - 00:44:37:14
But if the government says it's MAYOYE's fault...
JOURNALIST
00:44:37:14 - 00:44:39:19
The water is contaminated ma'am.
00:44:39:19 - 00:44:42:18
Or would you rather keep drinking contaminated water?
WOMAN
00:44:42:18 - 00:44:45:08
No, of course not.
00:44:45:08 - 00:44:48:23
Now there has to be a solution
for the common good.
CHOIR
00:45:13:04 - 00:45:20:14
La Cantera wants to sing a song
for the Virgin Mary
00:45:20:22 - 00:45:25:23
Sing, sing, sing her a song.
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:46:04:08 - 00:46:07:01
And what are people saying?
NELY BAEZA
00:46:07:01 - 00:46:10:05
They're asking us what we'll do now.
00:46:10:05 - 00:46:12:14
What we'll do as a group.
00:46:12:14 - 00:46:16:01
It's not our job to do anything.
00:46:16:01 - 00:46:19:13
Now it's up to the community to do something.
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:46:19:13 - 00:46:22:15
Of course, we were committed to
give them the test results
00:46:22:15 - 00:46:25:14
now it's up to the community, not just us.
NELY BAEZA
00:46:25:14 - 00:46:28:13
If the community doesn't want to act
00:46:28:13 - 00:46:31:05
that's not up to us.
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:46:31:05 - 00:46:33:01
Exactly, we showed them what was wrong.
00:46:33:01 - 00:46:37:15
According to Facebook, the news
was published in 'La Jornada'
00:46:37:15 - 00:46:41:03
so it's making national news.
NELY BAEZA
00:46:44:14 - 00:46:48:18
We have to meet with the professor
and figure out what's next.
HUBERTO NAVARRO, DEPUTY, NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION
00:47:03:15 - 00:47:06:23
Well, nobody gave me the floor
00:47:06:23 - 00:47:09:19
but I will arbitrarily take it, if I may.
00:47:09:19 - 00:47:11:17
First, I want to put myself at your service.
00:47:12:03 - 00:47:13:08
I'm Humberto Navarro
00:47:13:08 - 00:47:18:00
Deputy of the National Water Commission in the State of Guanajuato.
MAN
00:47:18:05 - 00:47:20:15
Is the water safe for drinking of not?
HUBERTO NAVARRO, DEPUTY, NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION
00:47:20:15 - 00:47:23:11
The water is safe to drink.
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:47:23:11 - 00:47:25:17
Elia: We are MAYOYE ‘Little Warrior Angels’
HUBERTO NAVARRO, DEPUTY, NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION
00:47:26:10 - 00:47:27:06
Oh good!
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:47:27:06 - 00:47:28:07
We are a civil group.
HUBERTO NAVARRO, DEPUTY, NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION
00:47:28:07 - 00:47:29:13
Perfect!
00:47:29:13 - 00:47:31:14
But independently from the civil group...
which by the way...
00:47:31:14 - 00:47:36:06
I’m aware you’ve been working a great deal on this matter
00:47:36:06 - 00:47:39:04
of course you have to be here.
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:47:39:04 - 00:47:43:15
Elia: Three years, sir.
Three years of watching my students die.
HUBERTO NAVARRO, DEPUTY, NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION
00:47:43:15 - 00:47:45:04
I want to ask you a favor:
00:47:45:04 - 00:47:47:15
Let's not look back.
00:47:47:15 - 00:47:49:20
That was three years ago.
00:47:49:20 - 00:47:52:07
Hey, the authorities are here facing you.
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:47:52:07 - 00:47:54:04
Elia: Their story has to be told.
HUBERTO NAVARRO, DEPUTY, NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION
00:47:54:05 - 00:47:56:16
Ok, great. But at least we are here before you.
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:47:56:21 - 00:48:02:01
Elia: What are your qualifications?
What's your academic title?
HUBERTO NAVARRO, DEPUTY, NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION
00:48:02:01 - 00:48:02:23
Who?
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:48:02:23 - 00:48:04:01
You.
HUBERTO NAVARRO, DEPUTY, NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION
00:48:04:01 - 00:48:06:18
Well hang on a minute.
00:48:07:04 - 00:48:11:18
I'm not the one doing the water samples.
00:48:11:18 - 00:48:15:12
Of course I know about water, that's my job.
00:48:15:12 - 00:48:19:09
We are going to do whatever is necessary to be able to serve the population.
WOMAN
00:48:19:20 - 00:48:21:19
So sad.
00:48:21:19 - 00:48:25:10
There are those who think there's something
wrong with the water
00:48:25:10 - 00:48:27:05
against those who think it's fine.
00:48:27:18 - 00:48:31:16
Not everyone has the money to buy bottled water
00:48:31:16 - 00:48:34:05
you have no idea how hard it is.
00:48:34:14 - 00:48:37:13
And those who can't
00:48:37:13 - 00:48:39:09
have to drink from the tap.
WOMAN
00:48:39:09 - 00:48:41:18
To my neighbors:
00:48:41:18 - 00:48:43:21
Hopefully we'll unite.
00:48:43:21 - 00:48:46:14
We have no reason to divide ourselves
because in the end
00:48:46:14 - 00:48:49:03
we all live here.
00:48:49:03 - 00:48:54:09
I've lost someone in my home.
Maybe in yours you haven't had that.
00:48:54:09 - 00:48:57:16
Hopefully they won't get sick.
00:48:57:16 - 00:49:00:12
All we want is the truth.
00:49:00:12 - 00:49:02:21
We want clean water.
We don't want any cover-ups.
00:49:02:21 - 00:49:05:09
All we want is clean water
because we deserve it.
00:49:06:07 - 00:49:09:22
A glass of water from the tap if you will.
HUBERTO NAVARRO, DEPUTY, NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION
00:49:09:22 - 00:49:11:23
With pleasure.
WOMAN
00:49:12:12 - 00:49:15:22
But come drink one with us every day.
WOMAN
00:49:25:19 - 00:49:28:18
Let's see if he dies.
HUBERTO NAVARRO, DEPUTY, NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION
00:49:28:18 - 00:49:30:11
Thank you for your well wishes.
WOMAN
00:49:49:06 - 00:49:52:05
Good evening.
ADRIAN ORTEGA GUERERO, PHD, HYDROGEOLOGIST, NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO
00:49:53:00 - 00:49:57:16
Our message is to remain calm and be patient.
00:49:57:16 - 00:50:00:11
Don't fall victim to provocations.
00:50:01:03 - 00:50:03:18
Here we have a very important test result.
00:50:03:18 - 00:50:07:00
Backed by a national institution.
00:50:07:00 - 00:50:09:22
The highest authority in nuclear testing.
00:50:11:03 - 00:50:13:22
The argument will now be if there is or there isn't.
00:50:13:22 - 00:50:17:02
It's very simple. We'll take more samples.
00:50:17:02 - 00:50:21:00
And that's what the authorities fear the most.
00:50:22:07 - 00:50:25:18
It would be a great opportunity to tell them:
00:50:25:18 - 00:50:29:08
“Gentlemen, we have some unfinished business.”
00:50:29:08 - 00:50:33:01
And it’s not just three girls.
00:50:33:01 - 00:50:37:06
We’re talking about 40,000 people
that are consuming in this watershed.
00:50:38:05 - 00:50:44:23
What I'm getting at is that their fear
goes beyond the La Cantera water supply.
00:50:44:23 - 00:50:48:15
This situation has further implications
00:50:48:15 - 00:50:52:17
and the authorities are overwhelmed.
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:51:09:12 - 00:51:12:06
Come in, come in.
00:51:14:09 - 00:51:20:06
They're radon gas sensors.
00:51:21:05 - 00:51:24:04
We've got one up there.
00:51:26:09 - 00:51:33:03
The day the scientists came,
they found radiation in this classroom.
00:51:34:15 - 00:51:40:07
We're removing them so they can be sent to analyze.
00:51:40:21 - 00:51:45:21
And we'll know if they captured anything.
00:51:46:14 - 00:51:48:03
We had to disguise them
00:51:51:12 - 00:51:53:19
so they wouldn't draw too much attention.
00:51:55:08 - 00:51:58:10
Here's the first one. They're all numbered.
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:52:25:04 - 00:52:30:05
In the last meeting where CONAGUA presented its studies
00:52:30:14 - 00:52:37:03
I received direct attacks, shouts from the community,
egged on by the delegate
00:52:37:10 - 00:52:39:01
who shouted at me
00:52:39:01 - 00:52:42:02
because I was disrespecting the authorities
00:52:42:02 - 00:52:44:14
for demanding a right.
ANDREA CERAMI, MEXICAN CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS
00:52:44:14 - 00:52:47:20
Always in these types of cases when people begin to organize
00:52:47:20 - 00:52:50:18
and begin to demand their rights
00:52:50:19 - 00:52:52:18
it always ends in community division.
00:52:53:02 - 00:52:56:07
And there are attacks.
00:52:56:10 - 00:52:58:23
In some cases the attacks are more...
00:52:59:05 - 00:53:01:03
they are how it happened to you
00:53:01:04 - 00:53:03:15
from what you have told me so far.
00:53:03:21 - 00:53:08:02
They are attacks where you are publicly questioned
00:53:08:02 - 00:53:10:15
that the information that you are giving is false.
00:53:10:15 - 00:53:12:17
You are being delegitimized.
00:53:13:10 - 00:53:15:11
If you go ahead with this type of work
00:53:15:11 - 00:53:18:07
those attacks are going to happen
00:53:18:07 - 00:53:19:10
and they are going to be stronger.
00:53:19:15 - 00:53:22:19
Their strategy is: We fight over everything.
00:53:23:00 - 00:53:28:03
Attacks are very common and I ask you to be very careful.
00:53:28:03 - 00:53:30:10
For example, never go out alone
00:53:30:15 - 00:53:31:15
on the street.
00:53:31:20 - 00:53:35:03
Always be accompanied, warn that I’m moving here.
ELIA ZARAZUA
00:53:35:17 - 00:53:41:15
We’ve already had attacks on Facebook
00:53:41:16 - 00:53:46:18
threats from vehicles
00:53:46:18 - 00:53:49:18
strange vehicles outside my house.
ANDREA CERAMI, MEXICAN CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS
00:53:49:20 - 00:53:51:06
Something is having an effect
00:53:51:06 - 00:53:54:16
because if you aren’t having an effect,
then no one comes to bother you.
00:53:54:16 - 00:53:55:06
No one.
NELY BAEZA
00:54:02:01 - 00:54:02:16
I’m speaking.
00:54:02:16 - 00:54:04:13
I’m not going to say it again.
00:54:08:18 - 00:54:10:02
Is that how you spell it?
00:54:10:11 - 00:54:12:10
This one's wrong.
00:54:12:10 - 00:54:15:04
Pay attention to how you spell it.
00:54:15:04 - 00:54:18:13
Nope, you already wrote it wrong, start over.
CRISTIAN
00:54:19:12 - 00:54:21:19
I was doing it right.
NELY BAEZA
00:54:22:00 - 00:54:23:11
Cristian.
00:54:25:20 - 00:54:29:21
Mamá Rosa had an embolism.
00:54:32:01 - 00:54:35:14
Because some people showed up at the house
and started yelling.
00:54:37:08 - 00:54:40:22
She was home alone so they yelled at her
00:54:41:18 - 00:54:43:23
yelling insults about us.
00:54:44:20 - 00:54:48:20
Saying I was insane and other things.
00:54:50:05 - 00:54:53:08
Will everything that happens in the community
always be our fault?
00:54:56:05 - 00:54:59:16
There's days when you just can't keep going.
00:54:59:16 - 00:55:02:18
You can't do more.
00:55:02:18 - 00:55:07:19
Some days you feel fine,
and others you just plummet.
00:55:09:13 - 00:55:13:17
You either care for your kids or work for the group
00:55:13:17 - 00:55:16:02
because the group demands time.
00:55:18:09 - 00:55:23:09
Did you finish? Let me see.
00:55:24:10 - 00:55:25:19
It’s not easy because
00:55:25:19 - 00:55:28:23
they’re going to attack us because we’re the ones on the street
00:55:29:14 - 00:55:31:00
we’re the ones who are nearby.
00:55:32:07 - 00:55:35:20
Elia told me “Don't let them make you afraid.”
00:55:35:20 - 00:55:38:00
“You have to be brave.”
00:55:41:19 - 00:55:46:12
If something happens to me,
who will take care of us?
00:55:48:03 - 00:55:49:23
There comes a time when you feel like...
00:55:50:23 - 00:55:52:14
everything is crushing you.
00:55:52:14 - 00:55:55:19
You feel like you’re in a bubble...
00:55:56:12 - 00:55:59:20
at what point will it all burst?
00:56:00:16 - 00:56:02:14
You feel alone.
ADRIAN ORTEGA GUERERO, PHD, HYDROGEOLOGIST, NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO
00:56:11:03 - 00:56:17:04
In the last interactions we had with authorities
00:56:17:20 - 00:56:19:16
we had many problems.
00:56:20:20 - 00:56:23:03
We were under a lot of pressure.
00:56:24:08 - 00:56:26:13
They wouldn’t let us work freely.
00:56:27:19 - 00:56:30:12
So we resorted to a low profile.
00:56:33:03 - 00:56:38:05
The work was slower, but it allowed us
to submit the samples to the labs.
CHILD
00:57:11:04 - 00:57:14:03
It kind of looks like snow.
ADRIAN ORTEGA GUERERO, PHD, HYDROGEOLOGIST, NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO
00:57:19:02 - 00:57:23:04
The conclusion of the studies
we carried out in La Cantera
00:57:23:10 - 00:57:26:20
is that there is a source
00:57:26:20 - 00:57:29:15
of radioactivity that
00:57:29:16 - 00:57:33:17
is associated with the minerals of volcanic rocks
00:57:33:19 - 00:57:37:15
within which one of the products of
00:57:37:17 - 00:57:40:01
disintegration is radon.
00:57:42:07 - 00:57:46:19
And that gas is what is migrating from
the rocks up to the surface
00:57:47:01 - 00:57:48:17
where it mixes with the water.
00:57:54:00 - 00:57:57:18
The excessive extraction of groundwater
00:57:58:12 - 00:58:04:04
has created space through which the gas
comes to the surface.
00:58:06:08 - 00:58:09:20
We believe this level of radon did not exist in the past.
CHILD
00:58:16:01 - 00:58:18:13
It’s hailing.
00:58:20:06 - 00:58:23:21
It’s because the sky is very angry.
ADRIAN ORTEGA GUERERO, PHD, HYDROGEOLOGIST, NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO
00:58:34:12 - 00:58:36:02
Radon is carcinogenic.
00:58:37:05 - 00:58:39:08
In the case of La Cantera
00:58:39:08 - 00:58:42:08
the water was consumed directly.
00:58:44:00 - 00:58:47:00
The problem is that once it enters the body it can no longer leave.
00:58:51:23 - 00:58:55:12
It is bombarding the cells inside the body.
00:58:58:23 - 00:59:04:12
Radon is what would be associated with the exposure
00:59:05:01 - 00:59:06:21
of the girls who died.
00:59:16:07 - 00:59:18:14
It is not feasible to continue like this as a country.
00:59:20:01 - 00:59:25:12
The communities are paying with their health and their economy
00:59:26:07 - 00:59:31:15
for this over-extraction and pollution.
00:59:34:02 - 00:59:36:11
What’s left for the communities?
WOMAN
01:00:29:18 - 01:00:31:12
Just so you can see we haven’t forgotten about you.
ELIA ZARAZUA
01:00:31:12 - 01:00:33:02
Oh good!
01:00:34:09 - 01:00:38:17
So I can say goodbye to you
and you can say goodbye to me.
WOMAN
01:00:38:17 - 01:00:40:07
You're leaving?
ELIA ZARAZUA
01:00:40:07 - 01:00:41:03
Yes, I'm leaving.
WOMAN
01:00:41:04 - 01:00:43:18
Oh, at least all my kids have graduated already.
ELIA ZARAZUA
01:00:44:03 - 01:00:47:17
Today is my final graduation ceremony.
01:00:50:19 - 01:01:00:15
The Department of Education forbid me
to use my platform as a teacher
01:01:00:15 - 01:01:08:09
or mention to anything that had to do
with the children’s health problems.
01:01:09:23 - 01:01:13:19
But I told my supervisor that I would
remain in MAYOYE.
01:01:13:19 - 01:01:17:15
And would remain despite the consequences
01:01:17:15 - 01:01:20:08
even if it cost me my job.
01:01:22:09 - 01:01:28:06
So that decision effectively forced me to resign.
01:01:32:22 - 01:01:37:05
I'll always continue.
01:01:37:05 - 01:01:39:18
I'll continue in MAYOYE and continue fighting.
01:01:40:22 - 01:01:45:23
I'll continue helping anyone who
suffers from these illnesses.
01:01:49:18 - 01:01:53:00
We’re missing a couple here in the corner.
01:02:08:01 - 01:02:13:14
Let’s them give a well-deserved round of applause!
01:02:15:16 - 01:02:19:23
We now conclude this little ceremony
01:02:19:23 - 01:02:25:15
and I thank you for supporting me
until the very end.
NELY BAEZA
01:02:39:02 - 01:02:42:02
Thank you for everything you've done.
ELIA ZARAZUA
01:02:42:02 - 01:02:44:15
We'll always remain together.
NELY BAEZA
01:02:44:15 - 01:02:47:13
Together until the end.
ELIA ZARAZUA
01:02:47:13 - 01:02:50:22
Like the Three Musketeers.
HUMBERTO NAVARRO, DEPUTY, NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION
01:03:00:10 - 01:03:04:03
Four years without inviting me back here!
01:03:05:08 - 01:03:07:06
Thank you for having me, Chief.
01:03:07:06 - 01:03:09:16
I'm grateful to serve you.
01:03:09:16 - 01:03:11:07
The pleasure is mine always.
01:03:18:16 - 01:03:23:05
The State of Guanajuato is one of the states
with the greatest problem of overexploitation.
01:03:26:18 - 01:03:31:02
But we can't just show up and tell farmers
01:03:31:02 - 01:03:34:20
to stop using water.
WOMAN
01:03:36:21 - 01:03:38:12
Give each of us a hug.
ANNOUNCER
01:03:39:08 - 01:03:41:00
Our director general
01:03:41:02 - 01:03:44:11
from CONAGUA, Humberto Navarro.
HUMBERTO NAVARRO, DEPUTY, NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION
01:03:45:13 - 01:03:48:22
Because it not only represents damage to their income
01:03:48:22 - 01:03:51:01
but also represents a serious problem
01:03:51:01 - 01:03:52:23
not just for the State of Guanajuato
01:03:52:23 - 01:03:54:11
but for the country.
01:03:55:09 - 01:03:56:12
This document
01:03:57:03 - 01:04:00:14
will grant you every right
01:04:00:14 - 01:04:05:09
to legally make use of national waters.
01:04:08:11 - 01:04:10:10
The National Water Commission
01:04:10:10 - 01:04:14:00
is supporting you and we will support you until the last moment.
01:04:19:00 - 01:04:21:15
You were asking me about La Cantera.
01:04:22:17 - 01:04:26:04
Unfortunately the population was misinformed
01:04:26:04 - 01:04:29:13
and the people, having little knowledge
of these matters
01:04:29:13 - 01:04:38:17
even dared to link the unfortunate deaths
of some people there
01:04:38:17 - 01:04:44:01
to the town's drinking water.
01:04:44:16 - 01:04:47:10
Irresponsibly so.
01:04:48:00 - 01:04:51:21
As an institution, we could not allow that.
01:04:51:21 - 01:04:53:15
Today the well is functioning.
01:04:53:15 - 01:04:59:09
Today those people are carrying out
their daily chores with that water
01:04:59:09 - 01:05:00:16
without any risk to them.
01:05:03:19 - 01:05:07:19
Our responsibility wasn’t
to get political and fight
01:05:07:19 - 01:05:14:18
with whoever was saying the water
wasn't safe for drinking.
01:05:14:18 - 01:05:20:09
Our responsibility was to inform
and give people the guarantee
01:05:20:09 - 01:05:25:00
that it was water that posed
no risk to human health.
01:05:25:00 - 01:05:27:01
And that's what we did.
MIGUEL ANGEL MEJIA, JOURNALIST
01:05:37:00 - 01:05:39:23
What's been going on in La Cantera?
01:05:42:09 - 01:05:47:03
The aftermath of their social fragmentation
01:05:47:03 - 01:05:51:19
impacted each of them.
01:05:52:05 - 01:05:57:05
They felt alone. Which they were.
01:05:57:22 - 01:05:59:17
They were singled out
01:06:00:12 - 01:06:03:19
as if everything that happened had been their fault.
01:06:04:06 - 01:06:06:18
The pressure was enormous.
01:06:07:23 - 01:06:10:20
They kept getting ostracized
01:06:10:20 - 01:06:14:04
to the point where one of them even had
to leave her community.
NELY BAEZA
01:06:41:22 - 01:06:44:08
It was always my dream to have a house like this.
01:06:45:04 - 01:06:47:20
Something simple but nice and finished.
01:06:49:20 - 01:06:51:06
La Cantera...
01:06:51:21 - 01:06:52:22
Everything changed.
01:06:54:07 - 01:06:56:10
There are a lot of memories left there.
01:06:56:16 - 01:06:58:15
In other words, you have memories
01:06:58:15 - 01:07:00:17
but you also have sadness.
01:07:02:09 - 01:07:04:00
People who saw you suffer
01:07:04:02 - 01:07:07:20
who said that things happened because of you.
01:07:09:02 - 01:07:10:20
People you trusted.
01:07:11:18 - 01:07:14:17
I thought to myself: why do these things happen?
01:07:20:18 - 01:07:24:09
I have a technical career in accounting
01:07:24:09 - 01:07:25:19
but I don’t have a high school certificate.
01:07:25:23 - 01:07:30:11
So I decided to finish my high school, start studying high school online
01:07:30:13 - 01:07:34:05
to improve my life and improve my work.
01:07:40:05 - 01:07:44:13
A coworker came up to me and said
“You're in the newspaper, you're famous.”
01:07:45:07 - 01:07:47:21
And I was like, what?
Tell me what's going on here.
01:07:47:21 - 01:07:51:07
They said it was about the water in La Cantera.
01:07:51:07 - 01:07:54:12
And your photo was on there.
01:07:54:12 - 01:07:58:13
So I called Miguel and asked him about it
01:07:58:13 - 01:08:07:09
and he said it was because Congress
had decided to shelve the matter.
01:08:08:05 - 01:08:11:07
The case in La Cantera has been closed.
01:08:13:22 - 01:08:17:08
But maybe that's what helped me move forward.
01:08:17:20 - 01:08:22:13
I felt like I could fight for myself.
01:08:23:13 - 01:08:30:05
When I started going out, going to meetings in
San Miguel and Queretaro...
01:08:30:05 - 01:08:36:00
and when I saw how people were proud of what I was doing
01:08:36:00 - 01:08:40:10
that's when I realized I could change my life.
01:08:52:00 - 01:08:55:16
People are taking precautions now.
01:08:55:16 - 01:08:58:18
Most of them are buying their water in jugs.
01:09:00:07 - 01:09:04:13
In the end they are careful not to consume the water.
01:09:04:13 - 01:09:07:21
It was satisfying to know that the people who attacked me
01:09:07:21 - 01:09:14:09
are, in the end, taking care of their lives.
ELIA ZARAZUA
01:09:49:02 - 01:09:53:21
It says: “Friends, there will be a
group meeting on Thursday.”
01:09:53:21 - 01:09:58:11
“It'll be at 10 a.m. and there will a be communal lunch.”
01:09:58:23 - 01:10:01:22
I sent this to them on January 17th.
01:10:02:13 - 01:10:03:17
To MAYOYE.
01:10:07:13 - 01:10:11:00
No one responded to me.
01:10:12:14 - 01:10:15:03
No one answered.
01:10:16:01 - 01:10:17:15
Let's go.
01:10:24:20 - 01:10:29:15
On the one hand, I feel sad because
01:10:30:15 - 01:10:32:21
we used to be a team
01:10:33:19 - 01:10:37:21
that used to fight for a common cause.
01:10:38:18 - 01:10:40:10
I really miss them.
01:10:41:23 - 01:10:45:14
They were a continuation of myself.
01:10:47:16 - 01:10:50:18
But I feel I have other opportunities
01:10:51:05 - 01:10:54:20
to shed light on what I know.
CESAR ARIAS, FOUNDING MEMBER, EL CHARCO DEL INGENIO BOTANICAL GARDEN
01:11:09:19 - 01:11:15:12
Cesar Arias, from El Charco del Ingenio
in San Miguel de Allende.
ADRIAN ORTEGA GUERERO, PHD, HYDROGEOLOGIST, NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO
01:11:15:16 - 01:11:19:13
Marcos Adrian Ortega, Center of Geoscience at UNAM.
ELIA ZARAZUA
01:11:20:02 - 01:11:23:05
My name is Elia Zarazua Rubio.
01:11:23:05 - 01:11:27:14
I'm from the group MAYOYE, Little Warrior Angels,
from San Jose Iturbide, Guanajuato.
JENI ZARAZUA
01:11:28:13 - 01:11:31:22
My name is Jenifer and I'm also in MAYOYE.
CESAR ARIAS, FOUNDING MEMBER, EL CHARCO DEL INGENIO BOTANICAL GARDEN
01:11:31:22 - 01:11:40:01
With the magnitude of the problem we face,
and the total negligence of the authorities
01:11:40:11 - 01:11:44:12
the only thing that seems to be having results
01:11:44:12 - 01:11:49:02
as we've seen in cases against mining or Monsanto,
01:11:49:02 - 01:11:52:13
is to appeal to a handful of federal judges.
01:11:53:12 - 01:11:58:01
If we are all willing to do this
01:11:58:01 - 01:12:02:05
let's see which organizations
belonging to this group
01:12:02:05 - 01:12:06:19
would be willing to join a lawsuit
01:12:06:19 - 01:12:13:00
against what I think is the complete failure of authorities,
which we'd appeal to a judge.
01:12:13:00 - 01:12:15:10
In this situation, there's no other way.
ELIA ZARAZUA
01:12:39:06 - 01:12:41:22
And now we’ll wait for results
01:12:41:22 - 01:12:44:02
and if not, we’ll continue
01:12:44:02 - 01:12:46:03
to whatever comes next.
01:12:47:18 - 01:12:49:23
The truth is what should prevail.
01:12:49:23 - 01:12:51:22
The health of children.
01:12:54:14 - 01:12:56:03
And we will continue.
01:12:57:06 - 01:13:00:12
Until the truth is known.
THE AGE OF WATER
TEXT ON SCREEN:
In 2024, after screening this documentary,
the newly-elected mayor of La Cantera acknowledged MAYOYE's efforts
and publicly vowed to reopen the case.
The over-extraction of groundwater by industrial farms is not unique to Mexico.
Several U.S. states are in danger of depleting their aquifers including
Arizona, California, Kansas and Colorado.
Arsenic and fluoride have also been detected in the
drinking water in large areas of the American Southwest.
