Published on Monday, September 29, 2025
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Thousands of residents in the San José metropolitan area are seeing major improvements in their drinking water supply with the operation of a new large-scale storage tank and pipeline system, the Water and Sanitation Institute (AyA) announced.

The project covers the cantons of Goicoechea, Calle Blancos, Tibás, Moravia, and Barrio Escalante. At its center is a massive storage tank in Guadalupe district, in Goicoechea, capable of holding 5 million liters of water per minute. The facility will serve roughly 100,000 people, quadrupling the distribution capacity compared to previous levels, officials said.

The $4.7 million project was financed by Costa Rica’s National Emergency Commission (CNE). AyA said the upgrades will improve reliable access to safe drinking water for at least the next 20 years.

Nationwide, Costa Rica provides 97.8% coverage of drinking water for human use and consumption, according to AyA, which serves a population of about 5 million.

Residents who suspect their tap water may be contaminated are encouraged to call AyA’s toll-free line at 800-737-6783.

The improvements in San José follow similar projects completed in the northern Alajuela Province, where new storage tanks improved drinking water access for about 20,000 people.

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

The CNE, which funded the San José project, works with local communities and emergency responders to strengthen disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.

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