In the poll, 1,500 Mexicans were interviewed in their homes at 10 different sites nationwide between March 3-6. The polling spots were 75 percent urban and 25 percent rural.

Eighty-six percent said they expect to confront problems with access to water in the future, while 27 percent said they have already experienced problems. Another 28 percent said they had less access to water now than in the past.

Over-exploitation of aquifers, deforestation and pollution have made water increasingly scarce in recent years. The problem is most acute in the arid north and the central valley of Mexico where the capital is located. Some Mexico City neighborhoods have access to water as little as once a week during the dry season, while overexploitation of the Rio Grande on the border with Texas has led to a long-standing dispute between Mexican and U.S. farmers.

DIVIDED OPINION

Mexicans are divided on who they think the water belongs to. Thirty-two percent said it belongs to the Mexican people, 15 percent said the National Water Commission (CNA) and 13 percent said the federal government. Six percent thought the water belonged to the states, while 5 percent said it belonged to municipalities.

Regarding water conflicts between neighboring communities, 50 percent said the water supply should be divided up equally, while 32 percent said it should go to whoever pays more for it.

Ninety-two percent of Mexicans said they pay for the water they use, and 7 percent said they did not.

While only 8 percent of those polled said that a member of their family had gotten sick from drinking contaminated water, 73 percent said they regularly buy bottled water for consumption.

UPBEAT IN THE SOUTH

Regionally, those living in the south of the country are more pessimistic about their access to water, and they also consume more bottled water. Rural residents are also more pessimistic than the urban population, with many saying they have less access to water than in the past.