Lack of water is stopping productive development, and at the same time the very same disorderly development is causing shortages in several areas of the country.
Thursday, June 9, 2016
EDITORIAL
Lack of water is stopping productive development, and at the same time the very same disorderly development is causing shortages in several areas of the country. The Central Valley is one of the areas already feeling the effects of the lack of infrastructure, as well as well defined plans, - a difficulty in Costa Rica- well executed by public institutions.
As President of the Chamber of Construction, Guillermo Carazo says there is an "... incongruity between promoting investment abroad and conditions finally offered to those who choose to settle in the country. The water supply is a decisive factor when it comes to investing. "
"... In the Central Valley, the local government in Alajuela laments the loss of significant investments in the area of El Coyol, where already established industries are thinking twice before expanding and others have canceled their plans to move there because of the difficulty of accessing water. Mayor Robert Thompson is finding it equally difficult to coordinate with the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA).
"... In Liberia, Mayor Julio Vials, says there are investments which are totally paralyzed, but not just business projects. There are also social housing projects which have been halted due to a lack of water. According to the official, the area has untapped water resources, but lacks the necessary exploration and infrastructure. Meanwhile, building permits have been suspended. "
Through a credit line from CABEI, the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewerage will finance the supply project for the Fifth Stage Metropolitan Aqueduct.
The megaproject, declared of public interest by the Government authorities, consists of the construction of 44.3 kilometers of pipelines, of which 8.6 kilometers are tunnels, a new water treatment plant and six storage tanks with a total capacity of 50,000 cubic meters.
The lack of this liquid in cantons such as Puriscal, where they say the problem will continue for three more years, is generating opportunities for water storage and treatment products.
Mismanagement of water resources is the cause of a growing number problems in providing water for both human consumption and industrial use, and at the same time is creating opportunities for businesses.
The problem is not new and there are no short-term solutions in the pipeline to counter this difficulty which has slowed investment in several projects for urban and tourism developments.
According to the Costa Rican authorities "... housing growth has slowed ... that's a fact, and it will remain slow for years, because the investments being made are not enough."
The Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA) has analyzed the investment needs for the period 2010-2030, estimating them at over $2,300 million.
Diagnosing the reality of state of the water and sewage systems in Costa Rica formed the basis for estimating the amount of investment required at the national level.
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