PBS’ long-running documentary strand POV has set a September premiere for “The Age of Water,” the first feature from sibling filmmakers Isabel Alcántara Atalaya and Alfredo Alcántara. The film, which looks at the environmental and public health costs of industrial farming in central Mexico, will air Sept. 8 at 10 p.m. on PBS stations nationwide and stream via PBS.org, the PBS app and the network’s YouTube channel through Dec. 7.
Produced by Emmy nominees Michèle Stephenson and Joe Brewster alongside Lindsay Perna, and co-presented with Latino Public Broadcasting, the documentary made its world premiere at the Morelia Film Festival. It anchors POV’s 38th season, the longest-running nonfiction series on U.S. television.
Set in La Cantera, a rural town in Guanajuato, “The Age of Water” follows two mothers, Nely Baeza and Elia Zarazua, who lost three children to an aggressive form of leukemia within a single year. Seeking answers, they formed the advocacy group MAYOYE—named after the initials of their children—and began testing local wells. With the help of hydrogeologist Dr. Adrián Ortega, they uncovered contamination in groundwater linked to overdrawn aquifers feeding export crops such as strawberries and broccoli bound for the U.S.
As the women pushed their campaign into public rallies and government meetings, they faced political resistance, skepticism from neighbors, and denials from officials. Among those featured in the film is Humberto Navarro, the regional water commissioner, who repeatedly dismissed the evidence of contamination on camera.
Watch the trailer below:
The Alcántara siblings, who grew up near La Cantera, spent years gaining the trust of the families before filming. Alfredo Alcántara said in a statement that the project was rooted in a sense of responsibility to tell the story. “Since we were kids, we’ve seen how industry has ruined so much of the natural environment around our home,” he said. “When we met the group of women in the film, we were immediately inspired by their journey to find answers.”
The film connects the situation in Mexico to similar water crises in California’s Central Valley, southern Arizona and the U.S. Midwest, where industrial agriculture and international trade agreements have pushed local communities into increasingly vulnerable positions with respect to clean water access.
Chris White, executive producer of POV, said the project underlines “that access to clean water is not only vital, but a measure of equity, resilience and survival.” Sandie Viquez Pedlow, executive director of Latino Public Broadcasting, added that the documentary represents “the extraordinary value of our nation’s public media” by transporting audiences to a story rarely covered in mainstream outlets.
“The Age of Water” is a co-production of Rada Studio and Latino Public Broadcasting. The film credits Alfredo Alcántara as cinematographer, with editing by Lawrence Jackman and Clementina Mantellini, music by Ben Fox, and sound design by Odin Acosta.