The urban sprawl of neighbourhoods in the outskirts of San Cristobal de Las Casas led to the establishment and management by the inhabitants of independent water supply systems. Through the study of water management by market gardeners (Mayan and mestizo) in a neighborhood, this article examines the ambivalence of the water, as an object, revealing both social cohesion and generating different kinds of conflicts (religious, political, agrarian, social). Furthermore, this study focuses on the rituals performed by these people, particularly those practised by the horticulturists who, seeking the benefits of the « Master Water », renegotiate their place within society.