Tulum, Q.R. — The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) has denied construction permits for a new water catchment area for the municipality of Tulum. The catchment was proposed in a nine-hectare area inside the Jaguar National Park, however, the area for drilling is land owned by the State Government.
The Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (Semarnat) denied the permits due to the negative impact it would have on Parque Nacional del Jaguar, a federally protected natural area. The project was promoted by the Drinking Water and Sewerage Commission (CAPA).
“The promoter did not consider the impact of the project on the Jaguar natural protected area, nor did it contemplate all the works and activities to be carried out, for a comprehensive analysis of the impacts that this may cause, given that it is located in a site that is completely conserved in terms of its biotic characteristics, as well as the incongruity in the area designated for the Change of Land Use, which suggests a greater loss of vegetation cover and alteration of ecosystem services,” reads the resolution.
In September of 2024, CAPA (Comisión de Agua Potable y Alcantarillado) submitted its environmental impact statement, requesting permits to drill 24 water extraction wells near the town of Macario Gómez.
“The project does not adequately address the impacts on the Jaguar National Park and presents a poor assessment of its ecological impacts. The loss of vegetation cover and the disruption of ecosystem services would be considerable,” detailed Resolution 31-25 issued by Semarnat.
The proposed project was to meet the municipality’s water demand due to growth at a cost of over 542 million pesos. Approximately 16,474 buildings would be incorporated through the new catchment area.
“Due to the natural growth and migration of interstate and foreign population to the northern part of the state of Quintana Roo as a result of the development of tourism activities,” CAPA said in their statement.
According to the 2020 Population and Housing Census conducted by Inegi (National Institute of Statistics and Census), the municipality registered 46,721 inhabitants representing an increase of 43.7 percent compared to 2010. However, the water distribution and collection networks have not grown at the same rate.
