This Country Has Some Of the most reliable Drinking Water Systems in Latin America

Costa Rica is a country that stands apart from others for numerous and various good reasons. To name one, Costa Rica is among the first countries on the planet that endeavors to provide drinking water to all its communities, including the coastal areas. This is accomplished through a system of consistent supplies of water sources located, mainly, in the springs and rivers that traverse the magnificent Costa Rican cloud forests. These forests have a plentiful water cycle that replenishes almost daily.

During the course of this last decade, Costa Rica has accomplished an exceptional growth in regard to the supply of essential services, especially when it comes to water. Presently, this area faces the greatest challenges for the government, which seeks to stand out by offering a superior service that is available to all.

Condensation occurs in the leaves of the forest trees and is filled with minerals, and then filters through the river and spring systems basically offering among the very best drinking water supplies worldwide. And the leading factor in all this is that it is completely at the disposal of every community in the country.

Demographically, Costa Rica has an estimated 4.3 million inhabitants. Out of this number, an approximate of 62% of its inhabitants live in the so-called zones of greater affluence (large cities) in the country.  In the last decade, much progress has been made in the drinking water services to reach the urban areas.

Drinking Tap Water

Alternatively, since 2006, the Costa Rican government and the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) have been collaborating on a project that stands out for achieving an integral improvement of the environment, including the drinkable water service for a large part of the San José metropolitan area.

This project has the purpose of creating and developing a water treatment plant in an attempt to solve the problem of the deficient sewer system, as well as the installation of pipes that allow the flow of water without major problems. Additionally, in the last 10 years, various investments have been made in different areas, both by the public sector, represented by the national government and by the private sector, represented by a set of independent companies.

According to information from the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic, $203 million USD was invested in the drinking water and sanitation sector between 1990 and 2006, which is an average of $3.3 million USD per capita, per year.

Since 2002, these types of projects have continued to be carried out in the country, working towards achieving a good performance and seeking to achieve integration in the sector in the hopes of providing all of the Costa Rican inhabitants, and visitors, a high quality system of drinking water.

AyA Water Treatment Plant

During the year 2000, the Costa Rican public water company AyA made significant proposals for the modernization and adaptation of the aqueduct system. This project consisted of an improvement of the integrity of pipe systems, increasing sewerage construction, and creating a computerized system that would control the use of water and ensure that it reaches the sectors that are most difficult to access. Experts predict that this system will be complete in 2020.

Although Costa Rica today has a fairly efficient system in the supply of drinking water, studies and various actions are continually being carried out with the aim of improving systems through integrating technology, in the hopes of mitigating future changes in weather conditions, and increases in population.

Water experts in Costa Rica have long understood that the time to start anticipating solutions is before problems have begun to rise.