Half of Torreón's water wells exceed the permitted arsenic limit.

Roberto Escalante González, general manager of the Torreón Municipal Water and Sanitation System (Simas), said that half of the drinking water wells do not meet the Official Mexican Standard for arsenic levels, so the Sanitation Department is reviewing this issue.

"Yes, we have about half of the wells that are out of compliance," he said.

From 2023, The maximum permitted level of arsenic in Torreón's water must be 10 micrograms per liter. , according to the Mexican Official Standard 127 of the Ministry of Health, which focuses on regulating water for human use and consumption, and therefore establishes a series of limits, with the metalloid limit being the most important.

The standard was modified in 2022, as the previous maximum level was 25 micrograms of arsenic per liter of water. However, it was decided to gradually implement it, starting with a one-year period for cities with a population of 500,000 or more, such as Torreón.

The head of Simas pointed out that there are arsenic filters, in addition to Work is carried out constantly and regularly on these wells that supply the citizens. , but acknowledged that 50 percent of the 96 waterwheels present this problem in terms of extraction quality.

He mentioned that tests are being conducted in the Simas laboratory areas and clarified that the water doesn't reach homes in these conditions; instead, filters are used to prevent this from happening, ensuring that residents receive better quality water.

Escalante González did not know how many arsenic filters are currently operating in Torreón.

For 20 years, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended reducing arsenic levels in water to 10 micrograms per liter, but international research has indicated that it would be necessary to reduce it to 5 micrograms or even zero, since chronic consumption of this element has been linked to conditions such as increased kidney, reproductive, liver, and endocrine damage.