Improving Water Access and Health through Rainwater Harvesting: Perceptions of an Indigenous Community in Jalisco, Mexico

Abstract

This article presents a mixed methods case study of an isolated indigenous community (the Wixaritari) in Jalisco state, Mexico, where the patterns of access to water have been changing due to Rainwater Harvesting Systems (RWHSs). The lack of water in this region is extremely precarious; women and children spend approximately one to three hours a day fetching water, and families live with less than 20 L per person/day. To better understand the relationship between water access and health derived from the use of RWHSs, we first analyzed epidemiological data (2014–2017) from cases of Acute Diarrheal Diseases (ADDs) and household water quality. Next, we surveyed households on water access after the introduction of RWHSs, including questions about perceptions of health problems associated with water. The results revealed that the introduction of RWHSs water access in this community has increased quantitatively and qualitatively and the incidence of ADDs has decreased significantly. However, the surveys and interviews indicate a disconnect between the incidence of ADDs and perceptions of health problems. We conclude that RWHSs can have tangible benefits, but they can be potentially undermined by perceptions of communities that have different understandings of the cause of disease.