Posted on January 3rd, 2025
| Photo: Celia and Alfredo, community members from San Cayetano standing beside their ferrocement rainwater harvesting system. |
| Faucets Without Water: The Harsh Reality for Hundreds of Thousands in Our Region Could you imagine opening your tap only to find no water? Or days when you can’t take a shower because there is no water? This is the unfortunate reality for thousands of communities in the San Miguel de Allende region. Most residents in these areas simply don’t have access to water for their most basic needs. The Story of Celia and Alfredo In San Cayetano, a rural community an hour north of Guanajuato in the municipality of San Luis de la Paz, Celia and Alfredo remind us of the lengths they used to go to obtain a single gallon of water: “I would have to go look for water an hour away from our home up to the hills, and sometimes even further.” Celia and Alfredo’s story highlights the complexities of obtaining access to safe water in our region. More than ten years ago, they were among the first beneficiaries of our Rainwater Harvesting technology. After a lifetime of extremely limited water access, they finally had safe drinking water in their own home. For decades, they faced the dangers of water from unfiltered sources and the uncertainty of even accessing water at all. By gaining access to rainwater harvesting, they also escaped the risks of chronic diseases associated with untreated water that afflict many others: chronic kidney disease, dental and skeletal fluorosis, learning impairments, various cancers, and skin lesions, among other health issues. Celia and Alfredo’s story is not unique. But tens of thousands are not as lucky, and still struggle with water scarcity every single day. As they constantly remind us: “We struggled with this water issue for so long. We never had a single drop from the municipal water. We never lost hope that one day we’d have access to water, but it was difficult for so long.” The Consequences of Inaction If we do not address this water crisis, the consequences are dire. Thousands more will continue to suffer from preventable health issues, economic instability, and social disruption. In our watershed alone, more than 2,800 communities suffer from a lack of reliable access to clean drinking water. As groundwater becomes more limited, the already critical issue of water scarcity worsens, endangering the health and well-being of countless families. Be part of a long-term solution With over 1,400 rainwater harvesting systems deployed, Caminos de Agua has successfully provided clean water access to thousands of rural families. However, many more are still waiting for the installation of their systems. Our decade-old Rainwater Harvesting Program has reached its full maturity and has become a readily actionable and effective solution to water scarcity in our region. By supporting this program, you can transform people’s lives, as demonstrated by the inspiring case of Alfredo and Celia. The installation of a rainwater harvesting system in their home brought about a profound change, significantly impacting their quality of life. “Now that we have our rainwater harvesting system, it is so easy. I just go out and open the outlet of our system, and I have safe water, right here, in my house. We’ve saved a lot of money and time, and we’re now taking better care of our health.” Help create access to clean drinking water for another 800 people in need! This year, Caminos has built more than 310 rainwater harvesting systems in over 50 rural communities, benefiting over 3,000 residents. As you can imagine, it is crucial that these systems are up and running before the first rains. Therefore, it’s vital that we begin constructing the new systems as early as possible in 2025. Our goal is to build 100 systems within the first quarter of the year, ensuring that at least 800 rural community members are equipped to receive and store clean drinking water when the rains arrive. To make this possible, we need to raise an additional $45,000 in the coming weeks. Please know that every little bit helps! You really can help bring more rainwater harvesting systems online with a contribution, no matter the size, helping provide a lifetime of clean water access to hundreds of marginalized families in our watershed. Click the button below to make a donation, and/or share this message with those who might benefit from this information. I want to help 800 people access clean water Sincerely,  Dylan and the Caminos de Agua Team |
