Greenpeace Reports Fecal Contamination at 17 Yucatán Water Sites

Greenpeace reports that all 17 wells, community water sources and cenotes tested near Mérida, Mexico, showed contamination linked to fecal waste, with coliform levels reaching the tests’ upper limits in many samples. The findings raise concerns for the Yucatán Peninsula, where groundwater is the only freshwater supply and porous limestone allows pollutants to reach the aquifer quickly. While the tests cannot distinguish human from animal waste and sewage or leaking septic systems may also contribute, Greenpeace says separate pig-specific DNA testing detected pig waste in samples. The group and Maya communities point to nearby industrial pig farms as a concern and are calling for a halt to new operations and expansions; the report’s findings have not been peer-reviewed.