PATRONES ESPACIO TEMPORALES DE LA CONDICIÓN MICROBIOLÓGICA DEL AGUA DE FUENTES COMUNITARIAS Y AMENAZAS A LA SALUD FAMILIAR EN CUENCAS ESTACIONALES DEL BAJO BALSAS (MÉXICO)

The poor microbiological quality of rural water is a problem in developing countries; in Mexico, its magnitude is uncertain. Spatial and seasonal variations of the microbiological condition of water sources in a dry tropical hydrographic system were determined, and the domestic water management was characterized to assess threats to family health. Twenty-two sources in eighteen localities, in dry and rainy seasons, were analyzed during two years. The microbiological condition of the sources was deficient by the presence of 35 species of thermotolerant coliforms, ten of them with high pathogenic importance (HPI). The pollution was most severe during rainy season due to the significant increase in the richness of HPI species and the number of sites affected at different altitudes and order flow within the watersheds. The use of water disinfection techniques was registered in 49 % of the surveyed families, who pointed out also have received information about the topic. The 45 % of interviewed declared suffering from diseases transmitted by water (diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever and vomiting) annually, although 72 % of the cases exposed to medical services had not been diagnosed. The highest contamination by HPI in rainfall season responds to the transportation and leaching of fecal material accumulated along dry season in riparian areas coming from livestock, wildlife and human population without sanitation services. The difficult control of diffuse pollution highlights the importance of increasing the information and monitoring of the household water management by rural vulnerable population as part of strategies for water security in seasonal rural watersheds.