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Mahahual and dispersed along the southern coast for 15-20 kilometers. There are less than 80 houses within a 2-kilometer stretch south of the central community, of which
full-time residents occupy approximately 50. There is also a dispersed inland settlement referred to as K55 because this marks the 55
th
kilometer of road from the main highway. There are 13 additional houses with full time residents in K55, and three or four more
that may be occupied part time or under construction. K55 was originally settled as an agricultural area, but will be the focal point for a
great deal of controversy because it is the planned location for the displacement of coastal residents. This will present many problems for residents that continue to engage in
marine activities because they will be further away from their equipment and will be unable to monitor it during storm events or to prevent theft. K55 is also not nearly as
pleasant to live at as the beach. K55 is hot and bug-infested because the ever-present sea breeze that cools residents and blows the mosquitos away does not adequately reach K55.
The local health clinic reported a population of 261, consisting of 121 women and 140 men living in 33 households. The local now former Delagado, reported a
population of roughly 200 within the town, and 347 encompassing K55 and extending south a couple of kilometers. The average number of occupants per household was not
calculated, but is highly varied because some households are occupied by full-time families and other are occupied by fishermen whose family is somewhere else.
5.0 INFRASTRUCTURE
Mahahual lacks municipal services such as electricity and water. There is a sandy road passing along the shore through the front of the town, which was the main road to
Xcalak before a newer road was completed several kilometers inland in 1998. There are three stores and five restaurants, though only three of the restaurants serve food regularly.
There is a three floor concrete hotel, “Hotel Mahahual” in the center of town, and several bungalows that tourists can rent to the south of town. “Hotel Mahahual,” supplies
generator and solar produced electricity and pumped water to several community residents.
Since there are no rivers or streams, fresh water for bathing and household use is obtained by numerous wells that are about 6 feet deep. However, 70 of households
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surveyed in the community drink bottled water. The only people that reported drinking water directly from their wells were several of the farmers that live inland at K55. 34
of surveyed households have a pit latrine and 49 have a concrete-lined septic tank. 12 of the households reported neither and claimed to use the bushes and mangroves for
toilets. In all cases, sewage is not properly treated for nutrients and may not even remove pathogens, which could leave the high water table especially susceptible to groundwater
contamination. Mahahual has a municipal dump, however, it is about eight kilometers away and
local residents without personal transportation have no means to bring their refuse to the dump. The dump was mentioned as a solid waste disposal method in 32 of the
households surveyed. 51 of the households burned at least a portion of their solid waste, 24 either buried their waste or illegally dumped it in the mangroves or bushes,
and 10 composted a portion of their waste. Shifts in the packaging of certain products have also lead to increased volumes of solid waste. For example, disposable glass soda
bottles have replaced a larger percentage of the traditional returnable glass soda bottles, so the community has the burden of disposing of bottles that were formerly returned.
There is a truck that delivers food and other supplies to Mahahual and further down the coast twice a week. Two daily busses and a mini-van transport people between
Mahahual and the state capital, Chetumal. The transportation, especially the mini-van, can be used for pick-up and delivery of items between Mahahual and Chetumal, as can
the food supply truck. There are two cellular telephones, one at the mini-super and one at the hotel, which are available for paid public use. Mahahual has a medical clinic with a
doctor and a nurse, though there are complaints that it is often closed when people need it. The closest hospital is in Chetumal, as are the closest supermarkets, gas stations, and
banking services. Pharmacies and dental services are available in Limones about 13 of the way to Chetumal.
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6.0 SOCIAL STRUCTURE
