tailieunhanh - Environmental Technology and Service Opportunities In the Baja California Peninsula

In many settings nitrogen enrichment of surface water bodies has increased following the increased use of N fertilizers. The precise contribution of nitrogen fertilizers to surface water nitrogen has been difficult to quantify because there are multiple sources of nitrogen contributing to most water bodies, and, depending on environmental conditions, a certain portion of soil nitrogen may be converted to gaseous or immobile forms. In general, however, agricultural regions with extensive artificial subsurface drainage systems or with sandy soils tend to have the most nitrogen enriched surface waters. The efficiency of nitrogen fertilizer used for crop production increased in many areas in the 1990s and this has very likely limited or reduced the. | Environmental Technology and Service Opportunities Page 12 In the Baja California Peninsula Chapter II Water Pollution Control and Treatment Overview Mexico faces serious challenges in providing an adequate water supply and sufficient wastewater treatment. Although water sources are abundant in Mexico most are located far from major population areas. Not only does 70 percent of the population live in areas where water resources are scarce mainly in Northern and Central Mexico but these resources have in many cases been overexploited or severely polluted. At the same time nearly 78 percent of municipal wastewater and 85 percent of industrial wastewater is untreated when discharged into oceans rivers lakes and groundwater often negatively affecting the quality of fresh water destined for human use. Despite the progress made in developing water infrastructure within the country there remain regional gaps in providing citizens with potable water and adequate sewage systems. Although Mexico is second behind Chile in potable water coverage in Latin America only 88 percent of the population has access to potable water and in rural areas this percentage is even lower. Thirty-two percent of the rural population is without clean drinking water. Another serious infrastructure problem is the inadequate sewage system. Although 76 percent of the population is connected to sewage collection systems only 23 percent of all raw sewage is actually treated. Most of the sewage is directly released into all major water bodies without In Baja California and Baja California Sur provision of fresh water is especially challenging given the region s dry climatic conditions and an expanding human population. The border region obtains most of its water from the Colorado River while the rest of the peninsula relies on wells and desalination plants of which there are not enough. In recent years the border region has experienced tremendous population urban and industrial