Bridging Troubled Waters in Ambos Nogales

Jesus Fabiano Ruben Valdez lifts a bucket out of a new manhole under Ninos Heroes Street. The construction is part of the “quick fix” program on the Nogales, Sonora, sewer system. Photos by Jeffry D. Scott

Miguel Contreras Villa tightens a band down across the new water supply line leading into the city of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. Photos by Jeffry D. Scott

Construction crews work on the Arroyo Boulevard covered channel over the Nogales Wash. The tunnel houses the wash as it runs from downtown Nogales, Sonora, into Nogales, Arizona. The wash water has been found to contain raw sewage and industrial chemicals. Photos by Jeffry D. Scott

An overview of the main industrial park in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. There are approximately 80 maquiladoras (factories) in the city. Photos by Jeffry D. Scott

A man drinks from a water pipe in Nogales, Sonora. The pipe, which emerged from underneath the city dump, supplied all the washing and drinking water for inhabitants of this colonia. Photos by Jeffry D. Scott

A 55-gallon drum, with a warning label in English, stores a family’s water in a Nogales shantytown. The drums are commonly used for storing drinking water, despite having contained toxic chemicals. Photos by Jeffry D. Scott

A woman walks on the U.S. side of the border as smoke pours over the wall from Nogales, Sonora. The smoke smelled of burning plastic. Photos by Jeffry D. Scott

APF Fellow