Water Illiteracy in the Municipality of Xalisco, Nayarit: The Challenge to Improve Water Governance and Water Security

Abstract

The value of water has a limited recognition in Mexico. The little information that citizens know about the availability of the resource has led to inefficient use, waste, overexploitation and deterioration of water quality. The objective of this study was to make visible the impact of water illiteracy in the municipality of Xalisco, Nayarit. A mixed approach, explanatory design and application level was used; and a survey was applied to a population based on a non-probabilistic sample of 1000 people from the municipal capital. The above mentioned survey consisted of 65 questions distributed in five dimensions of analysis. The application criterion was based on eight routes, covering the entire geographical area, which is made up of 29 colonias. The statistical analysis was performed with the DYANE V4 software through simple tabulations.                The majority of the surveyed population were women (54.9%). Of the total, 96.8% have a drinking water connection. Regarding the inhabitants by domicile, from one to three they represent 50.4% and from four to six 46%, which indicates a high percentage of inhabitants by domicile. About the visibility of the problem, the answers indicate that from 57.1% to 91.3% of the population recognizes in different aspects the situation related to water. Among the activities that use the resource most frequently are those related to personal hygiene 80.6% and those related to domestic use, which are between 52.2% to 56.8%. Related to the services, 52.8% do not know which is the agency that provides it, 84.8% indicate that the service is good or regulate. A relevant fact is the lack of payment for the service, represented by 6.8%, of which 3.8% indicate as cause the lack of consequences. About the care and conservation, 40.7% indicate misinformation as a reason for not taking care of water, 39% do not realize that they waste it and 33.8 because of lack of interest. Further, 47.5% do not know any method to reuse water, and 63.9% do not reuse; the sum of the medium, little and no responsibility levels to care it represents 77.7%. Also, 49.7% believes that the general population is the main responsible for caring, whereas 30.7% indicates the users, organization and government. About knowledge and participation, we found that 61% do not know enough information to care for and preserve water, 81.4% consider information campaigns important, and 77% would be willing to participate in activities to care for it. Finally, more than 80% do not know the laws related to water resources, 75.5% consider important that they exist, 86.8% that the authority applies them, and 88.9% that users comply with them.             The results obtained show a high rate of water illiteracy in the population. However, aspects of disposition of the citizens for its reduction were found, through a more active participation and involvement in activities for the care, preservation and, a true water culture, recognizing the importance of the problem and the needs for joint actions of society and government.