| Even within the context of the mañana lifestyle | | | | will make what they expect they should make, |
| of Southern Mexico, three years to dig a well in | | | | regardless of the arrangement. The difference is |
| Oaxaca does seem extreme, and to most, | | | | that if you pay by the project, or in this case by |
| incomprehensible. Chalk it up to electing to have it | | | | the meter, you know as best possible what your |
| dug by hand, changes in personnel, the odd fit of | | | | cost will be. If it's by the week, you're at the |
| frustration, and seasonal differences in rainfall and | | | | mercy of your trabjadores and their work ethic. |
| water table dictating timing. | | | | Mid-digging we decided to leave Oaxaca for a few |
| Water in Oaxaca as a Motivator for a Well Digging | | | | days, not anticipating being back until late |
| Project | | | | Saturday or Sunday. Friends were minding the |
| Americans and Canadians will eventually come to | | | | house for us. We gave them the weekly pay for |
| consider water as a resource of finite supply. In | | | | the crew, and asked them to pay the money to |
| Southern Mexico we have already come to this | | | | the boss (in our mind, clearly Rogelio) on Saturday |
| realization. It's been predicted that the scarcity of | | | | afternoon. Our friend gave the money to the |
| water in Oaxaca will worsen over time, as a | | | | wrong person - the well digger, instead of Rogelio |
| result of climate change and other factors. The | | | | who would traditionally take all the money and |
| past fifteen years have borne witness. | | | | pay himself and the two workers. The well digger |
| The dry season has become longer and dryer, | | | | ran away with the money for all three. Upon our |
| with the rainy season characterized by a | | | | return from our brief vacation we learned of |
| corresponding reduction in duration and amount of | | | | what had happened, and while Rogelio knew the |
| precipitation. To receive water, Oaxacans rely on | | | | well digger and in fact had coordinated with him to |
| a municipal water delivery system, supplemented | | | | work on our job, the scoundrel was nowhere to |
| by water trucks (known as pipas). Supply via the | | | | be found, and certainly not at his home. |
| former has been met with a reduction in quantity, | | | | It's not totally uncommon for this kind of thing to |
| quality, and frequency of delivery. The implication | | | | happen, right down to the culprit failing to return |
| is that as the dry season approaches one cannot | | | | home, and hiding out elsewhere, often in his village |
| rely on the delivery of reasonably clean water | | | | in another part of the state. |
| when it's needed. The situation is worse for | | | | We felt bad for Rogelio, and he felt bad for |
| residents without cisterns, who must fill small | | | | himself, recognizing that the obligation was his to |
| tanks (known as tinacos) of roughly 1,100 to | | | | track down the thief, since he had been working |
| 2,500 liters, or makeshift receptacles such as old | | | | for us based on Rogelio's assurance of his |
| stationary propane tanks. The fortunate among | | | | honesty. We suspended work, and never did hear |
| us have cisterns with a capacity of anywhere | | | | from Rogelio about the outcome, although he has |
| from 5,000 to 25,000 liters. Commercial enterprise | | | | returned to our home to do more traditional |
| cannot rely on the municipal system for their | | | | bricklayer jobs. |
| needs, and must order pipas on a regular basis. | | | | To Every Time, There is a Season: A Season to |
| Toward the end of the dry season when water | | | | Dig, A Season to Suspend |
| does come into our cisterns and tinacos, | | | | In order to get a true reading of the volume of |
| sometimes it's so dirty that residents elect to | | | | water one can expect to extract from a well, at |
| shut off the valve by the street in favor of | | | | the worst of times, the digging should proceed |
| purchasing water from pipas. | | | | and certainly conclude as close to the end of the |
| Pipas come in sizes ranging from about 1,100 to | | | | dry season as possible. That's when the water |
| 20,000 liters. During the dry season it's sometimes | | | | table is the lowest. Digging during the rainy season |
| difficult to get a pipa to the house, especially for | | | | is more difficult (though the ground is softer), and |
| residences in the countryside or up steep hills. And | | | | certainly concluding the digging during or after the |
| of course the cost of a pipa is greater at this | | | | rainy season does not provide an accurate |
| time of year. One is paying for the driver, truck | | | | measure of the water one can expect to be able |
| and fuel, as much as for the water itself. | | | | to obtain from the well when times are tough - |
| Accordingly, those with small cisterns or only a | | | | very dry. A friend finished digging a well a couple |
| tinaco end up paying up to threefold more per | | | | of years earlier, only to learn that he had not |
| liter, than those with larger capacity tanks. | | | | completed the work late enough in the dry |
| In the face of this progressively worsening water | | | | season. He then had to dig a further three |
| problem, many residents who think they may be | | | | meters. Even after this additional work, he learned |
| above a water table that is not prohibitively low, | | | | that there was not sufficient water for the needs |
| are electing to investigate the feasibility of digging | | | | of his family and workshop, even after having |
| or drilling a well, if not for the present, then as a | | | | dug deeper. |
| precaution and investment for the future. | | | | It's not uncommon for Oaxacans to have to dig |
| Drinking water is distinct from municipal and pipa | | | | down deeper every so often, as changes to the |
| water. Tap water is used only for washrooms, | | | | water table occur, for I would imagine a couple of |
| kitchen sinks, doing laundry, and lawns and | | | | main reasons; more wells having been dug close |
| gardens. Water for drinking and often cooking is | | | | by, and climactic change. Another friend initially had |
| purchased at the store or from water trucks | | | | a nine meter well, and now it's 13 meters. |
| selling five gallon (19 liter) jugs. | | | | We had become both jaded, and admittedly a bit |
| The Decision to Dig a Well in Colonia Loma Linda, | | | | lax about the whole thing, nevertheless feeling a |
| Oaxaca | | | | greater sense of urgency as the months passed. |
| Moving to Southern Mexico presents a learning | | | | Media reports and advisories from ADOSAPACO, |
| curve - in fact several challenges. Even more so | | | | the water commission, contributed to our |
| when it comes to an urban middle class Canadian | | | | increasing anxiety. We lamented our unfortunate |
| couple trying to appreciate the minutiae involved in | | | | experience to a neighbor. Amador had done odd |
| deciding upon and then proceeding with a well | | | | jobs around the house for us, such as watering |
| digging project: | | | | plants while we were away, weeding our garden |
| Is there water on the property, and if so | | | | and planting corn, beans and squash. He was |
| precisely where and how far down? | | | | trustworthy, to the point where we had called |
| How do we find out for sure, and who should | | | | upon his wife and daughter to baby sit for guests |
| we trust? | | | | in the house with young children. |
| How much should it cost to dig a well? | | | | Amador was a teacher. However, given teachers' |
| What's the difference between digging and | | | | salaries, he was always open to working on |
| drilling in terms of cost and speed, and advisability | | | | projects which would enable him to make extra |
| of one method over the other? | | | | cash. Amador agreed to continue digging the well, |
| How to go about finding a competent and | | | | on his own, for 3,000 pesos per meter. |
| trustworthy well digger or driller? | | | | Sometimes one of his sons would accompany |
| How much time should the project take, to | | | | him. He had no experience, except that he knew |
| reach each phase? | | | | how to descend and ascend a ladder, and use a |
| What diameter should the well be? | | | | hammer and chisel. His son would lift the broken |
| Are there any guarantees regarding whether | | | | stone in the bucket using the pulley, and if he |
| or not water will in fact be reached, how far | | | | wasn't available, Amador would do it all himself. |
| down, and therefore corresponding cost? | | | | The 2009 rainy season was about to begin. |
| Will we need concrete rings (known as anillos) | | | | Amador exclaimed at the conclusion of a |
| placed down inside the well? | | | | weekend day that he felt humidity at one side of |
| What volume of water should be expected? | | | | the well, now at about six meters. There had |
| What about pumps, filters and tubing to lift | | | | always been concerns: what if there isn't water |
| the water and move it into a cistern? | | | | down there, or what if we have to go twenty |
| Should there be a separate cistern to keep | | | | meters. Amador assured us that what he felt |
| the well water segregated from the street | | | | wasn't simply a consequence of the |
| water? | | | | commencement of the rains. At the same time |
| How much should the analysis of the quality | | | | he asked us for more money, stating that it was |
| of the water from the well impact a decision | | | | becoming more difficult, and now dangerous, being |
| regarding readying the water for drinking, with | | | | down so deep, and with rain loosening the rock. I |
| chemical cleansers and the like? | | | | told him that I wasn't prepared to pay more now, |
| In retrospect it's easy enough to enumerate the | | | | but when the project was finished I would bump |
| foregoing list, which is far from exhaustive. But its | | | | up the pay retroactively from that point in time |
| compilation was a work in progress, with issues | | | | (number of meters), to 3,500 pesos. |
| and decisions to be made arising periodically over | | | | We became more confident in Amador's |
| the course of three years. There is no course for | | | | assessment that indeed there would be water, |
| Oaxacans wanting a well. | | | | when one day he asked us to buy a pump, tubing |
| Our home in Colonia Loma Linda is at the top of a | | | | and other accessories to get the water out of |
| hill facing the street, Calle Sierra Nevada. The lot | | | | the well so as to enable him to continue digging. I |
| extends to the bottom of the hill, where there's a | | | | ran out and bought everything Amador had |
| predominantly unpaved dirt road which during the | | | | requested, late that Saturday afternoon when the |
| rainy season appears more of a stream. There | | | | building material supply stores were getting ready |
| are tell-tale signs of moisture near the bottom of | | | | to close. So what if it cost another 4,000 pesos in |
| our hill: trees remain green year round, a bit of | | | | equipment; we were in business; we had water, in |
| river reed (carriso) grows near the bottom of our | | | | our minds a gusher. And if the pump was only |
| land; a neighbor has healthy banana trees; and he | | | | provisional in that eventually we would need a |
| and another neighbor have wells. Our own fruit | | | | higher horsepower more efficient submersible |
| trees, further up our hill, have traditionally | | | | apparatus, then so be it. And when Amador told |
| struggled, I assume in part because of the | | | | us that the chisel points had been broken, of |
| distance to the water table, and of course | | | | course we'd go back to the herrero, with |
| because of the stone substratum. | | | | pleasure, and have them forged again. |
| Below perhaps a foot of hard earth, our land is | | | | By chance, about this time, either fortunately or |
| pure rock. We knew this when we bought it, and | | | | unfortunately we were having some major |
| were able to confirm it as we watched workers | | | | electrical work done around the house. In Mexico, |
| digging three retaining walls for the house, by | | | | you're allowed to have more than one hydro |
| hand, excavating several feet down. | | | | meter for a single family home, to reduce your |
| I estimated, based on a conversation with one of | | | | electricity costs. Our builder neglected to tell us |
| the lower neighbors, that if we began digging | | | | this, and more importantly that for a large home, |
| about ¾ of the way down the hill, we would | | | | with only one meter, the cost would be significant |
| have to dig a total of about 13 meters in order to | | | | because one pays a premium for electricity after |
| reach a sufficient supply of water. The neighbor | | | | a certain level of consumption. Our electrician, |
| recommended a diviner / digger. He came by, we | | | | Maestro Ricardo was changing the wiring so as to |
| told him approximately where we would want to | | | | accommodate five meters instead of only one. |
| dig, and then he pegged the exact spot using his | | | | It's akin to income splitting with one's spouse or |
| two lengths of reinforced steel as divining rods. | | | | child to reduce the top marginal tax rate, but |
| And what if he was wrong? He was pretty old, | | | | perfectly legal. |
| which did instill a modicum of confidence. | | | | Maestro Ricardo was working away at dividing our |
| At the time the diviner / well digger's price | | | | electrical current into different circuits, when I |
| seemed high, at 3,500 pesos per meter. We'd | | | | asked him about the advisability of having a |
| never checked around and didn't have any friends | | | | meter dedicated to the well pump and a couple of |
| with well-digging experience to guide us. We then | | | | other outlets on our party terrace near the |
| spoke to Rogelio, a bricklayer whom we'd known | | | | bottom of the hill. He thought it was a wise idea. |
| for a few years. He advised us that he knew | | | | He suggested a 220 volt outlet rather than 110, |
| someone who knew how to dig a well, and that | | | | and proceeded to do the wiring for our well pump. |
| with him (Rogelio) at the helm, we could work out | | | | Amador worked into the beginning of the rainy |
| a weekly rate for a small team. We trusted | | | | season, until he stated he could no longer |
| Rogelio, so asked him to coordinate the digging, | | | | continue, but would return in three or four months |
| which he did. | | | | to finish the job. We were at about eight meters, |
| We actually had a choice of having the well dug | | | | thrilled, and anxious to finish. Our thoughts began |
| by hand, or by a company with well-digging | | | | to turn to matters such as flow rate and ultimate |
| machinery. An architect friend advised to go with | | | | depth we should go, water analysis, particulars of |
| the former, indicating that a commercial outfit | | | | the pump we would have to install on a |
| would first seek municipal permission for the | | | | permanent basis, and electical current for it, and |
| digging, which may or may not be forthcoming, | | | | several other issues which had been pointed out |
| and in any event would entail delays; so the best | | | | to us over the past couple of years. |
| would be to go with a more informal | | | | Fermín Finishes Digging the Well in Loma Linda, |
| arrangement. And after all, that's what our | | | | Oaxaca |
| neighbors had done - dug their wells by hand, | | | | Amador never returned, even though he |
| quietly, without fanfare - and no problems with | | | | continues to be our neighbor. However a friend |
| the municipality. | | | | who had begun digging his own well recommended |
| Digging a well by hand, through rock, entails using | | | | someone else for us, Fermín. He told me he |
| chisels and mallets, and no more. Some workers | | | | would not need Fermín to finish his well until |
| use a ladder to descend, while others simply | | | | about May, 2010, and that we could use him until |
| shimmy up and down with the aid of a thick rope. | | | | then, the driest part of the dry season. That |
| Manufacturers of concrete forms do a brisk | | | | served us just fine. We met with Fermín and |
| business selling anillos for wells. Personnel at one | | | | his son in early 2010, agreed to 3,500 pesos per |
| such company helped me to determine that the | | | | meter, and a tentative start date. Fermín was |
| rings in our case should be a diameter which | | | | the first actual "pozero," or well digger, that we |
| would, when inserted into the well cavity, result in | | | | had used. He had dedicated himself to digging wells |
| an opening of one meter (de la luz - of light). At | | | | by hand for the past 17 years, and was teaching |
| that time there was never any question of | | | | his son the trade. |
| whether or not rings would be needed. I assumed | | | | "You'll have to get these chisels sharpened again. |
| they were necessary, because people always | | | | They're no good to me like they are. And don't |
| talked about anillos, and while traversing the | | | | worry about the ladder. We don't need it. I do |
| central valleys of Oaxaca I would see anillos at | | | | need some thicker rope, though, and we might |
| the top of wells, and lying on the ground alongside | | | | need more tubing if you'll want to use the water |
| well-digging projects. I never considered the | | | | we pump out to water all your fruit trees." |
| quality of ground into which the wells had been | | | | I went out and made all the purchases, and then |
| dug. Some two years later, after having | | | | some. I purchased "Y" connectors, shut-off |
| purchased ten rings, I learned that anillos are most | | | | valves, and everything else I thought I might |
| often used when the earth is soft, in order to | | | | need to get the water to both the fruit trees, |
| maintain the required well diameter without risk of | | | | and hopefully higher up to our flower boxes. |
| collapse. I also learned that their use can actually | | | | Fermín confirmed that given the quality of the |
| impede water seepage into the well. | | | | rock he was excavating, we would not need to |
| Let the Well Digging Begin in Loma Linda, Oaxaca | | | | use the anillos. The stone provided sufficient |
| Shortly after we had moved to Oaxaca, I went | | | | structural integrity without having to be shored up |
| to a rare contents sale with a friend, and | | | | with concrete. He agreed that using anillos could |
| amongst other things purchased a job lot of nails, | | | | actually impede water seepage into the well, |
| chisels, hammers and mallets, figuring that in the | | | | unless they had large holes in them, and that it |
| course of the balance of my lifetime, some of it | | | | just wouldn't be worth the additional expense and |
| would be useful. I had already learned to be much | | | | effort to adapt and then use them. |
| handier around the house than I had been the | | | | Fermín lived up to billing, in short order digging |
| previous 53 years. Now I had more of the | | | | down to over 11 meters. It took over an hour |
| supplies that I used to come across in my | | | | every morning to pump out the water from the |
| father's garage. | | | | night before. Then Fermín disappeared. He just |
| Rogelio, in consultation with the well digger, | | | | didn't show up one Monday morning, and didn't |
| comprised a list of materials for me to acquire: | | | | answer his cellular for a few days. Eventually he |
| ropes, a longer ladder, and buckets. I already had | | | | did respond, and advised that he'd return in two |
| the mallets, and it was just a matter of finding an | | | | weeks. Five weeks later he was back, advising |
| ironworker (herrero) with the machinery | | | | that we'd probably have to go another three |
| necessary to forge points and flat surfaces on | | | | meters down. |
| the chisels. I had wrongly assumed that every | | | | After three or four days of digging, Fermín told |
| herrero possessed all such equipment. | | | | me that he would not be returning. He said that it |
| Digging began in January, 2008. I instructed: | | | | was now taking him about two hours in the |
| "Start digging here, where those couple of rocks | | | | morning to pump out the water before he could |
| are lying on the ground; not over there, not over | | | | begin digging, and that there was about five |
| there, it has to be right here, because that's what | | | | meters of water to be removed. To Fermín |
| the diviner said. Ensure that the diameter all the | | | | that signified that the well would produce sufficient |
| way down is at least ten centimeters wider than | | | | water for our requirements and that there was |
| the outside diameter of those rings over there. | | | | no need to dig further. To me that meant we had |
| We have to be able to lower them down." | | | | ourselves an honest pozero who could have |
| The work week on construction sites for Monday | | | | continued (he didn't have another job pending, |
| through Friday is traditionally 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. with | | | | since my friend had altered his plans regarding |
| an hour for lunch and usually a couple of | | | | using Fermín in the foreseeable future), but let |
| impromptu short breaks. Payday is every | | | | us know it wasn't necessary for him to continue. |
| Saturday at 1 - 2 p.m., when workers leave for | | | | As is often the custom with trades in Oaxaca, a |
| the weekend. Work proceeded reasonably well | | | | brief "discussion" ensured about how much we |
| for a number of weeks, without incident, although | | | | owed him (measuring his progress by lowering a |
| I had already begun to regret the weekly pay | | | | stone attached to a rope to the bottom of the |
| arrangement rather than a fixed amount per | | | | well, and then using a tape measure), followed by |
| meter. It seems as though construction workers | | | | the friendly departure of Fermín & Son. |