The Aqueduct - It is REALLY happening!

As our town gets drier and drier every year, many residents have been waiting with little faith that the Aqueduct Project would ever really come to fruition.  After ten years of studies and talks, it is finally happening!  The project is planned to be fully operational, supplying uninterrupted water to town by February 2017.  

We all have many questions - how will the pipeline be laid?  What route will the pipeline take?  Who is going to be doing the work?  How is it being funded?  Once it is operational, who will be able to get connected?  

The AyA is coming to town specifically to answer your questions this Friday!  So please join us at 1pm on Friday 7th August in the Salón Comunal (behind the soccer field) to hear what the AyA have to say and to ask them directly any questions that you might have.  

In the meantime, here is what we know so far... 

What is the Aqueduct Project?

The Aqueduct Project Ario-Malpais is a project underway by the AyA (the Costa Rican Institute of Water and Sewage), to lay a pipeline that will bring a reliable water supply from the Ario Aquifer all the way to Malpais.  The pipeline will supply water to the communities of Manzanillo, San Martin de Hermosa, Santiago, Santa Teresa and Malpais.  

How will the Project be Financed? 

The Aya has been granted a loan of $5 million specifically for this project from the BID (the Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo).  

What is the timetable?  

All the technical designs and plans have been completed.  All permits are now in place.  

The AyA has officially solicited bids from various companies for the laying of the pipelines.  The timetable requires the AyA to have selected and contracted with one of these companies by the end of December 2015.  The work is then due to start January 2016, with completion planned for February 2017.  

What Route will the Pipeline Take?  

The pipeline will run from Bajos de Ario, following the low road from Manzanillo to Hermosa (where the water will also be pumped up the Hermosa hill in order to supply the residents of Santiago) and then on to Santa Teresa, Playa Carmen and Malpais.  

Who will be allowed to connect?  

All businesses and houses located on the main road or within 60 meters of the main road will be provided with a connection to the pipeline.  

What about people who live over 60 meters from the main road?  This is a question that we intend to put to the AyA on Friday 7th August - please join us to hear the answer for yourself.   

What Studies Have Been Done to Ensure that the Aquifer has Sufficient Water to Supply the Whole of Town? 

Over the last ten years the AyA has been doing studies to ensure the viability of this project.  Using a population estimate of 10,000 people, their experts have estimated that the Ario Aquifer has sufficient water to supply town for between 30 and 50 years - depending on how carefully we conserve water.  

Clearly this is NOT a long term solution.  Even once the pipeline is in place, it is going to be very important for town to continue to conserve water and to put in place efficient water management systems.  We will all have to continue to be conscientious about how we use and dispose of water.  This means being careful not to leave the tap running unnecessarily; taking short showers; replacing wasteful toilets with water-efficient toilets; encouraging our guests to conserve water; using grey water and black water filter systems, etc.  

We will be talking more about water conservation and what you can do to help in upcoming blog posts.  

So we will Finally Have Water, but What About a Sewage System?  

The AyA will be fulfilling its institutional duties by providing us with water by February 2017.  This is great news.  But what about the other half of the AyA's responsibilities - Sewage?  

This town is also in desperate need of a sewage system or at the very least enforced rules governing the treatment of sewage.  We cannot continue to allow grey water and black water to just seep out into the ground, into the rivers and out to sea.  Again, we will be asking the AyA about this when they visit on Friday.

Come Hear From the AyA - 1pm, Friday 7th August, Salon Comunal in Santa Teresa

So please join us!!  1pm, Friday, Salon Comunal (behind the soccer field in Santa Teresa) - the AyA will be explaining what is happening and will be answering your questions!