|
The
cost of the project
was about $470,722
and was financed with the
Institute's own funds.
/ Rural
Development Institute
courtesy
photo.
|
New pipes and
water storage
tank built in northern zone
|
By the
A.M. Costa Rica staff
The Rural Development Institute
inaugurated new pipe lines and a
water storage tank that will
provide drinking water to the
towns of Pavón, San Francisco
and Montealegre, in the district
of Los Chiles*,
near the border with Nicaragua.
"Since the passage of Hurricane
Otto in 2016, residents have
been affected with an irregular
drinking water service, and they
even ran out of vital liquid for
many hours," the institute said
in its statement.
The new pipe lines and a water
storage tank with a capacity of
250 thousand liters of water
were built in the town of San
Francisco in Los Chiles.
The cost of the project was ₡280
million colones, about $470,722
and was financed with the
Institute's own funds. The
construction of the pipe lines
and storage tank were made with
the collaboration of the
Institute of Aqueducts and
Sewers.
According to the Institute, the
new pipeline system will provide
drinking water to 350 families.
Related to the last pipes lines
built in the rural area, as
reported in A.M. Costa Rica in
March, the Institute of
Aqueducts and Sewers inaugurated
a new water main in the
community of Paso Bolaños, in La Cruz*,
Guanacaste, at a cost of ₡198
million colones, about $327,086.
The institute reports that
improvements were made in 8.2
kilometers of the pipe lines to
increase water capacity, and new
water distribution lines, new
pipes, new hydrants, and a
storage system, plus a security
officer’s cabin were built,
among other items.
"The construction consisted of
implementing a deep well to pump
flow to a storage tank. The
project includes the necessary
disinfection systems to
guarantee the potable water,"
said the institute in its
statement.
The new water main was
inaugurated by Harys Regidor,
president of the Institute of
Rural Development, who said that
"in Guanacaste, the water issue
is fundamental for the quality
of life of people, since in
times of drought like the one we
are now in, this is one of the
most historically affected
sites."
That was the third water main
that opened in March in
Guanacaste.
On March 4, the government is
also completing construction of
$3 million water main in
Sardinal.
The Institute of Aqueducts
reports that it has finished the
second stage in the construction
of water pipes that will provide
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.
"This type of project is proof
that, with political will, it is
possible to advance to further
development for the area and we
will continue to encourage
institutions to walk forward
with this vision," said
President Carlos Alvarado.
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. That trust
fund was developed in 2011 and
then transferred 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.
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 ensure 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.
Another water main, this one for
Las Trancas-Bahía in Papagayo*
in the canton of Carrillo in
Guanacaste, was inaugurated by
President Alvarado, also in
March.
The total investment in that
project was ₡4,080 million
colones, about $6,725,680.
According to the Institute, the
water main will provide 120
liters of water per second,
which will supply 14,250 people
from the communities of
Carrillo.
The water main includes 15
kilometers of pipes and a 3,000
cubic meter water storage tank.
The project was carried out in a
tripartite agreement with the
Tourism Institute, the Institute
of Public Aqueducts and the
Grassland Enterprise Company.
The total investment came from
the Institute of Aqueducts and
the Tourism Institute with
Grassland Enterprise donating
the storage tank.
According to the Tourism
Institute, the new water main
will provide water service in
quality and quantity to the
community, but is also important
for the tourist development
project, Golfo de Papagayo
Tourist Pole.
The Institute of Aqueducts said
this project is a permanent
solution to the water scarcity
problems in communities of Panama Beach*
and Hermosa Beach*.
The Las Trancas-Bahía de
Papagayo water main is one of
the 54 government projects
intended to provide potable
water to the province of
Guanacaste.
--------------
Do you know of another
area where the drinking water
supply needs improvement? We would like to
know your thoughts on this
story. Send your
comments to: news@amcostarica.com
|
|
|
