Local water management Tlalmanalco Ganat, State of Mexico

Abstract

The drinking water supply in quantity, quality and timeliness has been a challenge for the historical organization of societies today there is an enormous scientific interest on the ways in which traditional societies have been organized around water collection systems and management on this resource, especially to understand their problems and success stories before sharing, equity and democracy (FAO, 2003). This paper identifies the forms of social management of water in the Qanat system in a Nahua community of ancient origin, through two aspects: first, about the description of the natural system of melting glaciers Iztaccihuatl volcano giving rise to the Qanat water and infrastructure. The second identifies the entire application process and distribution of this resource, using the traditional management through the Water Committee, which is part of the cargo system is a particular form of social organization formally established alternative to by laws (Carrasco, 1990). The results of the natural system of Qanat water, identify water infiltration forms adapted to the melting of the volcano physiography, obtained by crossing the water table with horizontal drilling a tunnel or gallery, and capturing galleries aquifer auxiliary, whose runoff management requires only gravity and no external source of energy, making it sustainable in this sense. While social outcomes of the management system show a Nahuatl origin Tlalmanalco population as well as the form of social organization that allows water distribution and conflict resolution within the municipality and its relationship to other levels of government, which explains his ability to local and regional management. It is identified that has developed and incorporated Tlalmanalco water management through committees, as part of their social structure "cargo system", which allow you to seize and maintain control of the resources of a community, reflected through a self that operates the system, where the tasks of choosing members, administrative and cooperatives, are carried by democratic and participatory forms of the population, and that follow specific rules within which users must follow.