Water for human consumption and sanitation in indigenous territories of the huasteca hidalguense, Mexico: the cases of the communities of Ecuatitla and Tetla

Abstract

The supply of water for human consumption and sanitation are indispensable elements for social well-being. However, although they have been considered a human right since the beginning of this century, there are very complex problems to be solved in this area among indigenous populations. Accordingly, this paper deals with the conditions of water supply and sanitation in the communities of Ecuatitla and Tetla, indigenous territories that are part of the Huasteca Hidalguense, a region identified as the most vulnerable to water availability as a result of the effects of climate change during the decade 2020-2030. The methodology applied was that of Participatory Action Research in the field of Social Work, a perspective that has as its central purpose the identification and construction of solutions to social problems together with the population that experiences them. This approach has epistemological links with theories of critical analysis of inequality and social injustice that promote the use of the scientific method to address social problems. It concludes with a series of recommendations that could be integrated into municipal and regional development plans to guarantee the human right to water in community settings.