Everyone is looking for lunchI have been reading an exchange on the Melaque message board about local water quality. A fellow, who identified himself as an "environmental chemistry professor," posted a message that he had conducted personal and informal tests on the town water and found it 5 times higher in nitrates than the EPA limit for USA drinking water. He then tested two 5-gallon drinking water bottles and found one to have nitrate levels almost as high as the tap water. The other bottle tested just over the EPA limit.
Because the forum was a message board, the discussion quickly devolved into acrimony and ad hominem attacks. As too often happens, the original poster (it was his first post on the board) retreated in anger -- and, I suspect, will never be heard from again.
Do not feel too sorry for him. He could deliver as much bile as was dished out to him. In a brilliant broadside that only an academic could deliver, he fired back at his tormentor: "It makes me wonder from your tone of your remarks whether you are global warming/climate change denier as well?" I guess they do not teach grammar and punctuation in the unnamed university of which he is a noted professor.
But this is not a posting about the odd etiquette of message boards. I covered that topic last January in board to tears. My current concern is about water quality. We really take it for granted -- especially here in the western United States. The tap water in my home town tastes great. I have been enough places in the world where the water tastes terrible.
And it is a real problem. When I go to Mexico, I always buy bottled water for drinking and cooking. It never occurred to me that the bottled water may have as many contaminates as the local tap water. I should note that no one has indicated that the water is polluted. It merely may contain nitrates. And, to be completely honest, I have heard no one tolling the wolf bell other than the "professor" of whom we know little.
We do know that nitrates are a world-wide problem. Run-off from agricultural fields combined with consumer carelessness has resulted in polluted streams throughout the world -- the Everglades being a chief example. I have no reason to believe that Melaque will be spared the same problem.
What to do? Well, I am not overly concerned. I doubt that I will stop drinking water in Mexico. And, "professor," before you fire that handy cannon in my direction: I am not a "global warming/climate change denier" -- whatever that may mean. In Mexico, I will talk with my neighbors and find the best source for my drinking water.
Of course, if I spend much time dining in the restaurant pictured above, I may not have to worry about the effects of nitrates on my blood.
Because the forum was a message board, the discussion quickly devolved into acrimony and ad hominem attacks. As too often happens, the original poster (it was his first post on the board) retreated in anger -- and, I suspect, will never be heard from again.
Do not feel too sorry for him. He could deliver as much bile as was dished out to him. In a brilliant broadside that only an academic could deliver, he fired back at his tormentor: "It makes me wonder from your tone of your remarks whether you are global warming/climate change denier as well?" I guess they do not teach grammar and punctuation in the unnamed university of which he is a noted professor.
But this is not a posting about the odd etiquette of message boards. I covered that topic last January in board to tears. My current concern is about water quality. We really take it for granted -- especially here in the western United States. The tap water in my home town tastes great. I have been enough places in the world where the water tastes terrible.
And it is a real problem. When I go to Mexico, I always buy bottled water for drinking and cooking. It never occurred to me that the bottled water may have as many contaminates as the local tap water. I should note that no one has indicated that the water is polluted. It merely may contain nitrates. And, to be completely honest, I have heard no one tolling the wolf bell other than the "professor" of whom we know little.
We do know that nitrates are a world-wide problem. Run-off from agricultural fields combined with consumer carelessness has resulted in polluted streams throughout the world -- the Everglades being a chief example. I have no reason to believe that Melaque will be spared the same problem.
What to do? Well, I am not overly concerned. I doubt that I will stop drinking water in Mexico. And, "professor," before you fire that handy cannon in my direction: I am not a "global warming/climate change denier" -- whatever that may mean. In Mexico, I will talk with my neighbors and find the best source for my drinking water.
Of course, if I spend much time dining in the restaurant pictured above, I may not have to worry about the effects of nitrates on my blood.
If you start worrying about such things down here, you will find yourself doing quite a bit of fretting.
ReplyDeleteThe fact is that life here is less secure, regulated and guaranteed than it is over the border. It´s a crap shoot.
Don´t worry. Be happy.
Michael -- I fully agree with you. I tend to worry about very little. And water quality is perhaps 157th on my list of life's things to think about. I suppose what I found so interesting in this exchange was the self-importance of "experts" and the quick retreat when confronted. My study time would be better spent on learning spanish to let me buy water and get directions. Now, that would be a practical topic.
ReplyDeleteDude - I have a simply solution. Disclaimer - we are vegetarians and health minded GREEN people - that written we buy bottled water from Chedraui (we tried a number of bottled waters. Then we use an ozinator for at least 24 hours before drinking the bottled water.
ReplyDeleteOzone not only gets rid of nitrates, it kills bacteria and viruses, also oxidize organics such as detergents, pesticides, herbicides, phenols and inorganics such as iron, manganese, organically bound heavy metals, cyanides, and sulfides. Ozone has been used to treat ground and surface water in many European cities for years and also is becoming an industry standard in the US for treating bottled water.
I don't disagree with Michael Dickson (I try to never disagree with him) but this is an easy solution that will reduce that angst while decrying "Don´t worry. Be happy." and worth while in Mexico I think.
John Calypso
We buy our water from Crystal, they deliver it to our door. We did,for a brief while buy cheaper water from the back of a pick-up truck, but he gave us some bottles with rust stains inside them so we switched back to Crystal. Maybe I am naive but I am trusting that Coca Cola (who owns Crystal) is using good water.
ReplyDeleteregards,
Theresa
We have AGUA Ciel up here too (in Xico, Ver.) (Yes owned by coke). A while back (about 2 years ago)they had a BAD contamination problem - ecoli I think - many people ill. So it doesn't have a crystal reputation around here ;-(
ReplyDeleteIn Chiapas:
It was verified that two lots of the Agua Ciel product of the Villahermosa Plant had growth of fungus, due to which they had to recall the bottles from stores. At the end, they had to exchange approximately 100 boxes of Agua Ciel in stores of San Cristobal; some shopkeepers complained because Coca-Cola personnel asked them for contaminated bottles but did not give them any new ones in exchange.
Within the last two years there was an outbreak of contamination with the Cile garrafons. I was told this by three or four different gringos - but to that extent it is here say - so I wouldn't rust it just because it has Coca Cola on it.
I would use an ozinator regardless - you can get them in the US for less than 200.00 - While carbon filtering is prescribed for better taste - we feel that the 24 hour ozinated water tastes better too.
John C.
LOL! You will be spending a lot of time in restaurants like the one pictured! They are everywhere on the Pacific and places of great food. Mostly. I suspect that you will not have much choice in your water. Each region in Mexico seems to be dominated by one brand of water or the other. Here we have Cristal (a Coca Cola product). Other places have different brands. I could not buy a different brand here if my life depended upon it. Another little monopoly that is so Mexico.
ReplyDeleteI have said it before -- and I will most likely keep repeating it: the difference between the tone and comments used on message boards, and the tone and comments used in blogs, is amazing. I actually end up learning a lot from blog comments. Most message board exchanges have all the subtly of political commercials.
ReplyDeleteLooks like La Manzanilla since Melaque has no restaurants ON the lagoon.
ReplyDeleteI see you stumbled into our water conversation. I admit to being being a little abrupt with our science teacher but that was a real 'drive by' evaluation. More like high school.
Anyway some good info and ideas came of it and I got to ignore my usual 3 detractors ;)
sparks
Sparks -- I am glad you caught this post. I was going to post some comments on the message board, but I realized I was on the verge of sounding like Paul Ford in "The Music Man": Now about those credentials, Professor Hill.
ReplyDeleteThe topic is a potentially serious one. But, because it is, we need to start somewhere above the level of a high school chemistry set.
You are correct about the picture. It is from La Manzanilla -- at the strip of sand between the lagoon and the ocean. I love watching the crocs there. I have a shot of this guy eating the remnants of a bill fish. I may post it at some point.
I look forward to being a neighbor in a year.