Published on Friday, February 6, 2026
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The Water and Sanitation Institute (AyA) has suspended potable water service for thousands of residents in the cantons of Escazú and Santa Ana, in San José province, due to damage sustained during repairs on a major aqueduct pipeline, officials said.

According to authorities, the water outage resulted from repair work being carried out on the main aqueducts located in Santa Ana. The infrastructure suffered damage that caused a massive spill of drinking water, forcing service interruptions in the affected areas.

 

The work was being performed by a private company hired by the Municipality of Santa Ana to repair pipelines. However, for reasons still under investigation, machinery used during the repairs broke one of the main pipelines that supplies potable water to both Santa Ana and Escazú, AyA said.

“Due to the terrain conditions and the type of leak, the repair is complex and delicate, requiring specialized work to restore service,” AyA said in a press release. “Our teams are already on site carrying out the necessary repairs.”

To mitigate the shortage of drinking water, AyA has deployed several tanker trucks carrying potable water to affected communities to supply residents while repairs continue.

Authorities expect potable water service to be restored on Saturday.

Residents experiencing water shortages may file complaints or request assistance by calling AyA’s 10-digit hotline at 800-737-6783.

According to data from the Escazú and Santa Ana municipalities, about 129,000 residents live in the two cantons.

AyA, a state-owned utility under the Ministry of Health, directly manages 180 water systems that serve approximately 46% of Costa Rica’s population, primarily in urban areas.

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