Mexicans told to cherish water as family

Terra Daily via UPI: Mexicans are being told to cherish water as a member of the family -- to value and hold it in high regard -- as part of a major campaign to stem wastage amid chronic shortages of the resource. Mexican President Felipe Calderon is exhorting Mexicans to be aware of the importance of conserving water and to consider saving water as important as protecting their family.

"The water is like your family, protect it!" Calderon said while promoting a water-saving campaign going by that slogan. He said water was a member of the Mexican family, present at home every day and therefore deserving of attention, not neglect.

Mexico is facing its worst drought in 69 years with poor rainfall depleting underground water reserves and thwarting irrigation of crops. In the capital the problem is compounded by a rapid drying of Mexico City's lake-bed soil and sinking of the sprawling metropolis.

The drought is seen by scientists as a result of climate change, but water wastage is blamed by campaigners and officials on ignorance, mismanagement and waste. The government campaign is aimed at increasing public awareness of water conservation and is costing more than $12.6 million, according to media reports citing government figures….

Dunes in Chihuahua, Mexico, shot by Felix Garcia, Wikimedia Commons via Flickr, under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 License.