Transformaciones en el acceso al agua en una comunidad en vías de «metropolización»

Abstract

Canalitos is a precarious community situated
within the city of Guatemala. It is located at
the edge of the urban area, surrounded by
ravines that isolate it from the rest of the
city, affecting its development. Over the
last 20 years, it has undergone a process
of “metropolization”, with the establishment
of a series of upper-middle-class residential
projects in its vicinity, increasing interest in
exploiting vacant lots and the community’s
natural resources. This process has been
accompanied by a deterioration in living
conditions for the poorer inhabitants,
exacerbating conflicts between residents and
local authorities. The case study presented in
this article aims to describe, through mapping,
the tensions surrounding access to domestic
water. The methodology employed consisted
of observational exercises, semi-structured
interviews with residents and officials from
relevant institutions, as well as a household
survey. The results illustrate the socio-spatial
inequality that characterizes Guatemala City
and reveal that the management performed
by the authorities has been inadequate
for the community’s poverty conditions,
while the regulation of urban sprawl has
proven to be insufficient, contributing to
the precarious access to water faced by
residents, particularly in the so-called “upper
part” of the community (the neighborhoods
of Lourdes, Huertas, Pilas, and Delicias). This
situation has exacerbated distrust among
residents towards local authorities and
neighboring areas.
Keywords: Water, domiciliary water, water
access, inequity, metropolization, hydro
social territory, social conflicts.