Baja Shares Same Drought as Neighbors in California, But with Less Water Jill Replogle - PRI's The World
go to original May 28, 2014

Baja California's public utilities commission recently began offering rooftop water storage units to Ensenada customers on a monthly payment plan. The units can be expensive for middle and low income families. (Jill Replogle)

Ruth Valenzuela lifts a plastic sheet off the top of a small water barrel on her tiny back patio. She fills it up — along with the washing machine when possible — on the rare days that her taps flow.

She says the family has running water maybe two days a week. And when there is water, it’s usually just a trickle, not even enough for a shower.

Valenzuela lives in the port city of Ensenada in the Mexican state of Baja California. It’s a fast-growing place that’s popular with tourists and American retirees.

But since January, the entire city has been rationing water. Each neighborhood is supposed to get water two to three days a week. But some say it’s more like once a week, and maybe for just a few hours.

... Ensenada gets most of its water from wells and nearby valleys. But those are drying up. The scariest thing is that this is the time of year when the city’s water supplies should be flush.

Instead, there’s only enough to give each resident about 43 gallons a day. By comparison, residents of San Diego — less than a hundred miles to the north and with the same climate — used more than three times as much water each day last year.

Read the rest at PRI's The World

We invite you to add your charity or supporting organizations' news stories and coming events to PVAngels so we can share them with the world. Do it now!