Story of love between Marimar and Sergio. Sergio is from a wealthy family, and Marimar lives with her poor grandparents in a hut in front of the ocean.
When Refugio and her three sons—Patricio, Edmundo, and Ignacio—are forced out of their home, a twist of fate brings them to Mexico City, where they begin a new life. Eighteen years later, they are settled in a small apartment in a working-class neighborhood. Refugio holds a modest job; although she suffers from serious vision problems, she neglects her own health to attend to her sons' needs. Patricio is studying law and dreams of a comfortable, prosperous future; his mother admires him for his charitable nature. Meanwhile, Edmundo begins courting Lucero—unintentionally hurting Ignacio, who secretly loved her—while Refugio tries in vain to make Patricio understand that he will never be happy with Olga.
Rosendo Arango, the owner of Grupo La Anita, is married to Alfonsina. They have one son, Damian. Estefanía Bouvier is married to Augusto Castanon and they have one daughter, Elisa. Rosendo cheats on his wife with Carmina Bouvier, Estefanía's sister. Damian and Elisa become friends because Augusto and Rosendo were best friends. But one day, Rosendo and Carmina try to go away from La Ermita, the pueblo in which they live in. But, Estefanía, who had found out about their plans, wants to prevent this, shuts Carmina in her room and then goes with Rosendo in his car, trying to convince him not to run away with Carmina. They have an accident and die and everyone thinks they were lovers.
Ana Paula agrees to move far away to the Del Fuerte hacienda to work as a nurse for the fearsome Rogelio Montero—left paralyzed by an accident—who keeps everyone under his thumb at this estate filled with secrets.
María Mercedes, a poor girl who sells lottery tickets, meets a rich man who hates his own family and sees in María Mercedes an opportunity to make their lives miserable.
In the village of San Andres, the rivalry between two families the Valdes and the Ramirez is centered on "El Manantial", a beautiful fountain of water that happens to bathe the small property of the Valdes and not the neighboring ranch, the rich and prosperous hacienda "Piedras Grandes", where the best cattle are raised and is property of the Ramirez. But the spring is not the real reason for the hatred between the families. Justo Ramirez, married to Margarita Insunza, had a relationship with Francisca Rivero, wife of his enemy and neighbor Rigoberto Valdes. This relationship, founded in the betrayal, will cause the utmost bitterness and the destruction between the two families. The Valdes have a beautiful daughter named Alfonsina, who was born in the same year as Alejandro, the son and heir of the Ramirez. Although they have grown separately with their souls full of prejudices against their respective families, the two cannot avoid feeling attracted to each other. Margarita will not permit this and so she tells her husband to make sure her son will never be together with Alfonsina so he could marry Barbara, her cousin's daughter. Justo rapes Alfonsina and she leaves along with her mom and her aunt. Five years later... Alfonsina is graduating from school and has a good life until her mother commits suicide because she found out she was deathly ill and could no longer live with the guilt of her lifestyle. Before dying, her mother confesses to Alfonsina that Justo Ramirez destroyed her life and after that Alfonsina vows revenge on the man who destroyed her family. She returns to San Andres and there she once again sees Alejandro who is now engaged to Barbara. Their love is still present in their hearts. They will have to fight for their love and see if they can be happy by the shores of El Manantial...
El Manantial is a Mexican telenovela that first aired in 2001, starring Adela Noriega and Mauricio Islas. The telenovela received TVyNovelas Award for Best Telenovela, in 2002.