Supplying drinking water by cistern trucks in Valle de Texcoco, México

Abstract

The current national and international policy proposes the global supply of water for domestic use, in quantity and in quality, and there has been legislation passed about the human right water. However, there is water supply deficit through the drinking water network, as a result of fast and disorganized urban growth. In this context, water supply by cistern trucks gains importance. At the national level, the drinking water distributed by means of hydraulic networks has been studied, evaluated, and diagnosed, but there is still a gap of information regarding the services provided by drinking water vendors. The present research describes the consumers and the drinking water supply by cistern trucks in five municipalities in the eastern area of Estado de Mexico. Interviews and research field trips were performed. Results show that supplying water by cistern trucks is not only for those residents without a water connection, and there are other reasons for using the cistern truck service; supplying because of a failure in the network or damage in the deep well equipment, supplying for water quality, supplying to avoid responsibilities and commitments with the community and, finally, supplying for the service sector.