Accelerated Growth in Tulum Causes a Lag in Infrastructure

Problems such as rainwater drainage and sewage are becoming a high concern in Tulum. Real Estate development and tourist infrastructure are causing irreversible damage to the fragile environment. Boca Paila, and nearby protected natural areas are full of trash that washes ashore.

Tulum is not how it is portrayed. While it is in fact an exquisite archaeological jewel with a beautiful paradisiacal beach, it lacks the adequate infrastructure for its tourist and population development, which has grown at an annual rate of 15.1% according to the National Institute of Statistic and Geography 

The absence of public infrastructure in the Municipal Plan 2018-2021, is critical . Sewage disposal, for example, is mostly dispatched into septic tanks or straight into the ground.

Housing options for workers and residents are equally deficient. Most buildings lack basic infrastructure. There are serious issues such as untreated water, lack of drainage, poor floor conditions, shortage of electricity, among others. 

There are single-family houses with walls made of concrete and wood blocks, a tile roof, corrugated sheet metal or cardboard. In addition, in urban-rural areas the walls of the houses are made of wood with palapa roofs. The quality of construction is very poor.

“Tulum is 20 years behind on infrastructure. Their investment, over time, is minimal compared to their growth rate ”, says Olmo Torres-Talamante, director of Razonatura, a non-profit association dedicated to the conservation of biodiversity and the cultural identity of the communities.

Source: Obras Por Expansion