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Water problems
Posted by SpencerC on April 20, 2026, 5:05 pm Moderator
Once again, as the dry season continues for a couple more months, the town wells are getting extremely low.
The people running the water system have been posting on Facebook repeatedly the last few weeks. Leaks, street watering, lawn watering, over watering of gardens, stuck float valves in toilets, cisterns and tinacos, all of this adds up to the town wells drying up and allowing salt water to seep into the water table. Even if you have your own well, the water is all coming from the same place.
For those of you still here, please conserve your water usage. If not here, have someone check your place regularly for leaks.
It sounds like it’s going to be a hard couple months until the rains come in the summer. SpencerC/Moderator
Re: Water problems
Posted by RaulZ on April 20, 2026, 6:13 pm, in reply to "Water problems"
I’ve been watching La Manzanilla water issues for probably ten years or more. Longer than I’ve been here and it’s the same issue every year. Personally I think every home should have water meters and people be billed accordingly. A friend in Agua Caliente says the ejido charges 5000 pesos per year for people with pools. Many people here have lawns they water year round and only live here part time and leave as the water issues get worse for locals. One friend in La Manzanilla got rid of all his plants that needed watering for drought resistant plants. Education of everyone is the main thing. Pools lose a centimeter per day to evaporation and more if it has leaks. Everyone needs to do their part and not expect someone else to make the changes. Jalisco and our area has been in drought conditions for years. Another way to look at voluntary conservation is it’s an investment in your investment. In other words when there’s no water here your investment will be worth nothing. In Los Ingenios where we live they only turn water on three days a week for two hours each day. Conservation and repair of broken lines and reduce ones use.
Re: Water problems
Posted by LI Dave on April 30, 2026, 11:20 am, in reply to "Re: Water problems"
Hi, my friend! Thank you! One way to help limit evaporation loss is to use a floating pool blanket when the pool is not being used, which is most of the time. Ours collects a lot of dust, but it will wask off with a big brush on the ground. A spool can deploy and retract it easily. Truly helps. The Pool Guy here in La Manz can hook anyone up. It even looks nice.
Re: Water problems
Posted by HRoss on April 30, 2026, 3:02 pm, in reply to "Re: Water problems"
LI Dave. You seem to be knowledgeable about evaporation from a pool. The other day I suggested that pools should have covers. I didn’t see any responses. Raul stated that his pool loses 6 gallons each day, which seems like a lot and in a year it’s almost 22,000 gallons, which is a lot.
Do you know of w how much evaporation is reduced by using a pool cover, or the floating cover you mentioned?
Thx
Re: Water problems
Posted by BrianH on April 21, 2026, 10:34 am, in reply to "Water problems"
Perhaps the Ejido should have someone go around town and post warning tickets on houses that have watered the road in front of their houses...At the least they really should have some sort of public awareness campaign.
Re: Water problems
Posted by Carl B on April 21, 2026, 11:35 am, in reply to "Re: Water problems"
Yes, some public awareness would be helpful - not just water, but recycling, garbage, burning in town. But, as they say "old habits die hard" I did a calc of how much water a 1/2" garden hose uses in one hour. Using a moderate PSI of 30 and a 50' hose it uses 2,280 liters. Seems like a lot to me.
Re: Water problems
Posted by SpencerC on April 21, 2026, 1:56 pm, in reply to "Re: Water problems" Moderator
There is a daily public awareness campaign in Spanish on Facebook. Here’s a translated sample of what the water committee is posting (follow “Agua Potable La Manzanilla” on Facebook to see these notices).
URGENT NOTICE: LET'S CONSERVE WATER
To all water users, we speak today with great concern and sincerity… Water is indeed running out.
We have confirmed that the well at the soccer field has dropped in levels, as has the one at the intersection. This well was always good, but it is starting to produce brackish water—less than the one at the intersection, but it is a clear sign that its levels have decreased. We had already warned you, and it seems you didn't believe us because you continue watering the streets. Those who water the most and waste the most water are those who always have water with good pressure, all in the lower areas and the city center. The aquifer is dropping, even if you say it's just for a little while to quell the dust, or that you have your own well, so there's no problem… or that you can't afford to fix your leaky faucet or its faulty installation due to a missing float valve, etc.
Despite repeated warnings through this channel that service will be cut off for those who continue wasting water in the streets and have faulty plumbing, you have ignored them. You continue to waste water without consideration, not caring that other people aren't getting water. But don't be surprised or angry when we come to measure your water. I think we've been too lenient, and we continue to see water wasted in the streets, hoses left running, and leaks left unrepaired.
Meanwhile, there are families, children, and elderly people in higher areas who turn on their taps and nothing comes out. That's what hurts us the most. Because of this situation, we will be reducing water rationing times as an emergency measure, because we can no longer manage as we used to. This isn't a punishment... it's the only thing we can do to ensure there's enough water for everyone. We ask you from the bottom of our hearts: Don't waste water. Don't water the streets. Check your leaks. Use only what you need. The water that was wasted yesterday, we are using today. Together we can get through this… but we need everyone's participation in conserving water. We remind you that water rationing schedules will be reduced, and some areas will even have water only every three days. These four months—April, May, June, and July—are the most critical for water every year, but this year water levels have dropped even further.SpencerC/Moderator
Re: Water problems
Posted by RaulZ on April 21, 2026, 12:58 pm, in reply to "Water problems"
I did a calculation of my pools daily evaporation rate at a centimeter a day on yearly average. 60 gallons per day. Bigger pools bigger loss. Conserve where you can. I water no ornamental plants only food crops. And I also pay for three water lines though only use one.
Re: Water problems
Posted by billb on April 21, 2026, 4:57 pm, in reply to "Re: Water problems"
Ever think of draining the pool instead of telling everyone else about the water shortage problems
Re: Water problems
Posted by RaulZ on April 23, 2026, 1:10 pm, in reply to "Re: Water problems"
No. I live here full time and the coolness of pool makes that a possibility. I do pay for three water lines though only use one and use as little as possible. I Don’t water ornamentals and use grey and shower water to water herb garden and fruit trees. How about you?
Re: Water problems
Posted by billb on April 24, 2026, 10:07 am, in reply to "Re: Water problems"
Yes, I'm here most of the year. My small property only has one water line from the village. It's enough to fill my 1200 liter tank on the roof. At this time of the year, we only receive water once or twice a week. If I had a 60 gallon a day leak, I and most people around me would run out fast. But good on you for reusing your waste water, I'll have to look into that.
Re: Water problems
Posted by RaulZ on April 25, 2026, 7:00 am, in reply to "Re: Water problems"
Very good. Could be we’re just different people. You are quite the conservationist. We host a lot of people on our property so our requirements are very different or so it sounds. If you believe attacking me is good that’s your choice. I posted because I know there are many folks who could make improvements on water usage either through repairing leakage or conservation. Though I have a pool I’m very happy how I conserve water given my responsibility as a pool owner. Be well.
Re: Water problems
Posted by HRoss on April 28, 2026, 5:30 pm, in reply to "Re: Water problems"
Wondering how the calculation was made to determine that you’re losing 6 gallons per day. Seems like a lot per day. Per year if it keeps going like that, equals 21,900 gallons per year. That really sounds like a lot. Is there a cover on the pool? I’ve heard pool covers reduce evaporation by a huge amount. Might be something to consider.
Re: Water problems
Posted by BecciS on April 25, 2026, 11:31 am, in reply to "Water problems"
The beach all the way to Boca is being developed into big resorts, gated communities and boutique hotels. This, of course, includes requisite pools and water features. The pressure on the common water source is only going to get worse. Years ago there was a committee that investigated alternatives. Does anyone remember their findings? Not sure climate change was part of the study.
Re: Water problems
Posted by SpencerC on April 25, 2026, 4:45 pm, in reply to "Re: Water problems" Moderator
Climate change, climate cycles, no matter what it’s called or what the causes, it’s here. Hotter, dryer, less rain when it does come. Maybe the cycle will change, but we can’t predict that and need to plan for more people and more pressure on the system. My own uninformed conclusion is that drilling more wells into the same aquifer is a self-limiting endeavor.
I have done a cursory look into a small desalination plant which would have an expensive up front cost, and considerable ongoing maintenance costs. But would be able to supplement the well water and perhaps allow the aquifer to somewhat recover.
I don’t know if it’s feasible for our small town (any water engineers out there?), but if we don’t do something more than hoping it gets better and hoping people conserve and hoping no one installs a another pool (yes, I have one too), then the problem will probably get worse every year.
PS: I looked back on Daniel’s message board and couldn’t find anything on a water study, just a thread eerily similar to this one about water problems and a low water table. SpencerC/Moderator
Re: Water problems
Posted by RaulZ on April 26, 2026, 7:17 am, in reply to "Re: Water problems"
Desalination works in some places but is a high energy technology plus wherever the minerals removed from the salt water goes changes that environment permanently and adversely. My opinion is repairing all infrastructure leaks, water meters on every home so people can be aware of invisible leakage and be charged accordingly for their use, and government getting the balls to charge the appropriate increase in rates so they’ll have the funds to create infrastructure for the future. And of course no more watering lawns and ornamental plants.
Saving water
Posted by Channie on April 26, 2026, 6:45 pm, in reply to "Re: Water problems"
Toilet flushing. Nothing new here, so just a reminder of another water-saving measure to consider… If it’s yellow, let it mellow. Or pee outdoors. On average, a standard toilet uses ~1.6 gallons a flush. If a household flushes 10 pees a day, that’s 16 gallons, approx 60Litres, or the equivalent of 3 garafónes of water that could be saved, daily.
At 10 pee flushes a day, and if my arithmetic is correct, one could save ~480 gallons monthly, approx 2000Litres, or the equivalent of 100 garafones of water monthly.
Re: Saving water
Posted by CJ on April 29, 2026, 6:30 am, in reply to " Saving water"
Here's something I learned a long time ago, and I can't imagine how much water I've saved over the years. Simply, fill an empty bottle with water and screw on the top. Keep it in your toilet tanks to take up space. That means less water will fill your tank on every flush all year long. You're welcome.
Re: Saving water
Posted by LI Dave on April 30, 2026, 11:57 am, in reply to " Saving water"
Just wanna say how wasteful it is NOT to use a septic tank, but a sewer system. Septic tanks overflow into the purifying ground and then into our coveted aquifer water. In a city, however, there's not enough land available to percolate all the water. Hmm. Maybe maintain the sewer system the city has? People cause the problem; people should provide the money for maintenance.
Re: Saving water
Posted by Devalinda on May 2, 2026, 1:58 pm, in reply to " Saving water"
I have a pee pail which sits on the toilet ,..all daytime pee is collected....only one flush at night before bed if needed, however if equal amount of water ( recycled ) is added it is great fertilizer for those dry plants that need a drink Same at night...pee pail beside the bed...any night pee goes in and is also used as fertilizer. And all those leaves people clean up in their yards...put them back on the ground around plants as mulch to hold humidity or compost them. Do whatever you can to reuse water as well
Re: Water problems
Posted by LI Dave on April 30, 2026, 11:42 am, in reply to "Re: Water problems"
Raul and Spencer! Thank you for your intelligent and moderate discussion of this important factor of the good life in La Manzanilla! I like your suggestions, Raul, and want to add my outrage over the incredibly rash watering of golf courses like our local resort. Golf was invented for Scotland, not for arid semi-tropical climates! Here, golf is incredibly 1% behavior! If there has to be golf, let it be on dry grass! Like a clay tennis court, maybe.
Re: Water problems
Posted by Krish on April 30, 2026, 7:19 am, in reply to "Water problems"
Posted by Brianf on May 1, 2026, 11:29 pm, in reply to "Re: Water problems"
Simple search, pool covers prevent 50 - 95% of evaporation of water depending on type of cover and 35-60 % of chemical evaporation from swimming pools. Wondering if anyone in La Manz has a salt water pool? If so can you share any info.
Re: Water problems
Posted by Tw on May 4, 2026, 9:55 am, in reply to "Water problems"
Where can one get the lastest water analysis for our water. I asked Con Aqua in La Huerta and was told they didn't have any analysis of la Manz or Los Ingenios. TOne Love Live it!
on April 20, 2026, 5:05 pm
