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One
of the most important
water main construction
was in Sardinal in
Guanacaste.
/ Institute
of Aqueducts and Sewers
courtesy
photo.
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Government
announces $111 million loan
with Central American Bank to
finance projects of Institute
of Aqueducts
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By the
A.M. Costa Rica staff
The government, through the
Institute of Aqueducts and
Sewers, signed a loan of $111
million with the Central
American Bank for Economic
Integration to finance the
programs of the institute in
coastal cities.
The total investment of the
program is $139.9 million, of
which $111 million is from the
loan and $28.7 million is
capital from the Institute.
The Institute reports that the
improvement plan for coastal
cities consists of the
construction of six potable
water and sanitation projects
which could be completed between
2022 and 2024.
The cities that will benefit are
Limón*, Guácimo*,
Quepos* - Manuel
Antonio, Jacó* and
Moín*.
Also to be built is a National
Water Laboratory building in Ochomogo*
in Cartago.
The loan agreement was signed
by, Yamileth Astorga, Executive
President of the Institute and
Mauricio Chacón, a
representative in Costa Rica of
the Central American Bank, in
the presence of President Carlos
Alvarado.
"Thanks to this investment
program, we will be able to
promote the development of
communities in the Caribbean and
the Pacific for the next 20
years," said Yamileth Astorga,
Executive President of the
Institute. "The country must
continue to improve and expand
its systems to exceed 94 percent
of potable water coverage that
makes us leaders in the region.
"
According to Mauricio Chacón,
representative in Costa Rica of
the Central American Bank, "with
the development of these
projects will be an important
boost to the quality of life of
Costa Rican citizens in rural
areas, with high impact on
health and economy of these
populations, also promoting
efficiency, quality and the
significant contribution that
these projects have with the
environment."
According to the Institute, the
improvements to be made are:
- Improvements to the drinking
water system of Limón, with an
investment of $61.2 million.
That could be finished in 2024.
- Improvements to the Guácimo
Aqueduct in Limón. With an
investment of $16.3 million, and
could be built in 2023.
- Improvements and expansion to
the Jacó Beach aqueduct system,
with an investment of $6.3
million and with a possible date
of finishing in 2023.
- Improvements to the aqueduct
of Quepos and Manuel Antonio,
with an investment of $6.7
million, and could be finished
in 2023.
- Sewer construction in Moín in
Limon, with an investment: $11
million, and with a possible
completion date in 2022.
- The construction of the
National Water Laboratory
building, which will be built in
Ochomogo in Cartago, with an
investment of $11 million, with
an estimated completion date in
2022.
One
of the most important
water main construction
was in
Sardinal*,
as A.M. Costa Rica
reported on March 4.
The AyA water pipes
provides potable water
service to the communities
of Sardinal*,
El Coco*
and Ocotal*
in Guanacaste. The total
cost of the project is
₡1,823 million colones
(about $3,005,126) and was
financed by the Institute.
The Institute said that
the new water pipes will
benefit the 34,000
habitats of these
communities and should be
adequate for the next 25
years.
The pipelines and the
land for the new water
storage tank were donated
by private companies
through a trust fund. The
trust fund developed the
first phase of the piping
in 2011 and then
transferred it to the
institute.
The new main will
provide 70 liters of water
per second to the
communities and is made up
of three components: the
field of wells and
equipment, the pipes and
impulsion line, and a
2,500 cubic meter storage
tank.
The Coco and Ocotal
Beaches draw their water
from coastal aquifers.
According to the
Institute, during the
intense period of drought
2014-2016, salt intrusion
threatened that water
supply.
The source used by the
new water main is located
in the Sardinal aquifer
and has very safe healthy
conditions. The water
there has been analyzed by
four government
institutions: the Water
Directorate of the
Ministry of Environment,
the National Groundwater
Service and the Institute
of Aqueducts, the
University of Costa Rica
and the National
Meteorological Institute.
In 2008, a group of
private companies opened
an $8 million trust for a
new project. The people of
the Sardinal area
complained that the new
project would leave them
without water.
In 2009, the
Constitutional Chamber
stopped the progress of
the project and canceled
the first study of
environmental viability.
Then, in
2016, the water institute
conducted more studies to
confirm that there was a
way to insure sufficient
water for human
consumption.
In 2017, the institute
filed complaints at the
Prosecutor Office of Santa
Cruz in Guanacaste because
a team of specialists was
attacked by a group from
Sardinal and there was
vandalism that affected
project facilities. With
the new water main, it is
hoped that all will be
satisfied.
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Should the government continue
to use loans with
international banks to finance
infrastructure? We
would like to know your
thoughts on this
story. Send your
comments to: news@amcostarica.com
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