THREE police officers remained in intensive care today after a confrontation between 1,500 police and residents of a village on Mexico City's outskirts. 

Over 100 police were injured in an intense battle over a freshwater spring and five people are still under arrest.

The village of San Bartolo Ameyalco has a natural spring.

But city officials said they wanted to extend the municipal water system into the village, supposedly to supply underserved areas.

When police moved in to protect city workers opening trenches on Wednesday, they were blocked by barricades and rock-throwing residents who alleged the city wanted the spring water to supply apartment blocks, offices and shopping centres.

Suspicion falls on the officials' motives because of the uncontrolled growth they have allowed in the nearby hills. Developers were allowed to create a huge satellite city known as Santa Fe despite having no adequate roads, transport or water lines.