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!

Talking Trash! - Your Chance to Talk With the Muni and the Ministry of Health

Do you know where your garbage ends up?

We desperately need to talk about the trash!   And that is exactly what we are going to do on Friday 7^th August at 3.30pm.  As part of the Festival Azul, we will be holding a roundtable discussion about garbage management.  Attending will be members of the Municipality of Cobano, the Ministry of Health, the Camara de Turismo and the Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeepers (NPWK).  

This is your opportunity to listen to the plans being drafted for efficient and effective waste management in our area, to comment, ask questions and give constructive suggestions!  Importantly you can find out how you can help reduce the volume of garbage produced by our community.  If you care at all about where your own trash ends up, please attend and take part in this event!!

In the meantime here are some things you need to know... starting first with the bad news: 

THE BAD NEWS:

(1)  Cobano currently has NO Waste Management Plan in place.  Cobano, Lepanto and Paquera are in fact amongst the 11 municipalities (out of 81) left in the country that still have no Waste Management Plan in place.  

(2)  Once your garbage is picked up from the road on Monday, Wednesday and Friday it is taken to an open-pit municipal landfill in Cobano.  This landfill site was OFFICIALLY SHUT DOWN by the Ministry of Health at the beginning of 2015 because it had already reached its capacity and was deemed to be an environmental danger – and yet, OUR garbage continues to be dumped there.  And will continue to be dumped there for some time. 

(3)  The municipality of Cobano is NOT at this time recycling.  The only option in town for recycling is to take your own recyclables to Gato (behind Burger Rancho), who in turn will take this to the new recycling center in Paquera. 

All that seems pretty depressing.  But don’t despair – over the last two months, members of our community have been working with the Municipality of Cobano to rectify this dire situation.  And you can also TAKE ACTION to HELP.  

THE GOOD NEWS:

(1)  Over the last 2 months members of our community (including representatives of the NPWK, the Camara de Turismo, the Bandera Azul Ecologica and the Escuela de la Jongla) have been meeting on a weekly basis with officials from the Municipalities of Lepanto, Paquera and Cobano in order to talk about trash.  During this period, this group of people together have studied a course on Waste Management with the Universidad Estatal a Distancia (UNED) and have been busy drafting a Waste Management Plan that will work for our community.  

(2) There are plans underway that will lead eventually to the actual physical closure of the condemned, at-capacity Cobano landfill.  In the future (although it is still unclear exactly when) our trash is to be taken over by the ferry to Puntarenas to a landfill site that actually complies with all the environmental and safety requirements of the Ministerio de Salud and the MINAE.  

(3)  YOU can HELP!  

Now that we know that our trash is being dumped in a place where it SHOULD NOT, we have no choice but to act to reduce the amount of garbage that is ending up in the environmentally dangerous Cobano landfill.  Here is what you can do to help: 

• Do NOT throw organic materials into the garbage bin.  A Landfill is NOT the place for organic waste.  Organic material can be thrown into the forest, where the crabs and iguanas will be very happy to eat it for you.  Or, even better, it can be composted and used to feed your garden.  

• Separate out recyclables - Do not throw away bottles, cans, tetrapack, glass, etc. that can actually be recycled.  Clean these out and take them to Gato, who will make sure they are recycled for you.  

• Reduce the amount of waste that you produce.  This might sound daunting, but taking small steps can have a large impact.  Turn down the straw that comes with your smoothie.  Carry a refillable water bottle.  Carry a canvas bag with you to the grocery store.  Choose unpackaged goods wherever possible.  Everything you do to reduce your garbage footprint helps!

FIND OUT FOR YOURSELF AT THE FESTIVAL AZUL - 3.30pm FRI 7TH AUGUST

Garbage management is a huge topic and one that is incredibly important for the future of our community.  We invite you all to join us for the Round Table Discussion on Friday the 7th August and find out for yourselves the answers to these important questions:  

(a) What is the Municipality's Waste Management Plan going to look like?  

(b)  When is the open-pit, already-at-capacity, already-officially-shut-down landfill site at Cobano going to stop receiving our garbage? 

(c)  Where will our garbage be taken to in the future?  

(d)  What is the Municipality's recycling plan?  

(e)  What can you do to help?  

Find out more about the Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeeper HERE 

  

What is the Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeeper?

What is the Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeeper?  

We are a not-for-profit organization, without partisan affiliation, whose mission is to monitor, protect and restore the quality of the water in the coastal zone from the Cabo Blanco to the the Caletas-
Ario Wildlife Refuge.  

What do we do? 

• We take water samples from the rivers to generate an information base so that we can both understand and monitor changes in our waters; 
• We organize educational activities to raise awareness of the issues that we face in keeping our waters clean and protecting our environment; 
• We provide free assistance and education to homes and businesses in the management of residual waters; 
• We support a better management of waste in the town; 
• We co-ordinate together with Florblanca and Tropico Latino the Ecological Blue Flag program for our beaches; 
• We campaign for the enforcement of the law; 
• We fight for the health of our rivers and ocean.  

And we will be able to do more as we grow!

How are we Funded?

As a not-for-profit organization, we depend economically on donations.  We have received donations from individuals, from the Sangham Foundation (the foundation of a family committed to the environment), from the OEA-Organization of American States.  

Recently we started a Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeeper membership system - please see our website to find out how you can become a member and support the important work that we do.  

Financing is one of the biggest challenges that a not-for-profit organization faces.  

  

The Team

Our team comprises of two people that work for the Association - Carolina and Jepo - and a Board of Directors - Grey, Luis, Dahlia, Ana, Favio, Nicoya, Christina y Nat - all of whom support our organization on a voluntary basis.  The whole team is committed to the protection of our environment!

¿Quién es Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeeper?

¿Quién es Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeeper?

Somos una asociación sin fines de lucro sin afiliación partidista cuya misión es monitorear, proteger y restaurar la calidad del agua en la zona costera comprendida entre Cabo Blanco y el Refugio
Caletas-Ario.

¿Qué hacemos?

• Tomamos muestras de agua de los ríos para generar información de base e ir conociendo nuestras aguas;
• Organizamos actividades educativas para generar conciencia acerca de temas relacionados con el agua;
• Damos orientación gratuita acerca del manejo de aguas residuales;
• Apoyamos un mejor manejo de desechos en el pueblo;
• Coordinamos junto con Florblanca y Tropico Latino el Programa de Bandera Azul Ecológica de nuestras playas;
• Abogamos por el cumplimiento de la ley;
• Luchamos por la salud de nuestros ríos y mar.

Y podremos hacer más a medida que crecemos!

Como asociación sin fines de lucro dependemos económicamente de donaciones. Hemos recibido donaciones de personas particulares, de la Sangham Foundation, una fundación de una familia muy comprometida con el ambiente, de la OEA-Organización de Estados Americanos. 

Recientemente empezamos un sistema de membresías y activamos en nuestra página web la posibilidad de recibir donaciones via paypal.  El financiamiento es uno de los mayores retos de las ONGS.

El Equipo

Nuestro equipo se compone de dos personas que trabajan para la Asociación –Carolina y Jepo- y una Junta Directiva –Grey, Luis, Dahlia, Ana, Favio, Nicoya, Cristina y Nat- que apoya nuestras acciones de forma voluntaria. ¡Tod@s comprometid@s con el medio ambiente!

Stop the Illegal Mining of Rio Arias - please sign our petition to SETENA!

Please help us to stop the illegal mining of Rio Ario by signing our petition to SETENA.  

At the beginning of this month a company started work to mine materials from the bottom of the Ario River.  This company does NOT have a valid and up-to-date permit to carry out extraction of materials from this river.  

The mining is taking place very close to the Caletas-Ario Wildlife Refuge, with potentially damaging consequences for the delicate ecosystem of the Caletas wetlands and to the coastal marine life.  

SETENA did grant permits in December 2007, but these expired on the 12th January 2011.  Without an up-to-date permit, any mining
of the river is illegal.  

In order to be compliant with the law, the company must obtain new permits and undergo a new Environmental Viability study.  These laws are in place to protect the environment and wildlife from irreparable damage.  

Our petition asks for action from SETENA and from the Department of Geology and Mines (a department within the Ministry of Environment and Energy).  We ask them to bring a halt to this project and to cancel the mineral concession granted to this company because: 

(a)  Its permit expired on the 12th January 2011.  Work has started WITHOUT a valid permit.  

(b)  The company has failed to fulfill its obligations under the mining concession, among other things - abono del canon ambiental, boundary marking of the work to be undertaken and annual reporting.  

We demand that these institutions study and assess the location of this project for its potential impact on the coastal ecosystem.  The mining is planned to take place less than 1 kilometer from the river mouth.  The sedimentation from the mining could cause a dramatic decrease in the aquatic life of the area.  The site of extraction is very close to the Wildlife Refuge of Caletas-Ario and of the Caletas Wetland.  The marshes of Caletas are a fragile ecosystem and are home to a large number of important species of the area.  

A detailed and careful study of the environmental impact is required, in conformity with Costa Rican law.  

We support development, but only when undertaken in a sustainable manner and in full compliance with the environmental laws of Costa Rica.  

Please follow the link to sign the petition and share it with your friends - LINK TO PETITION

Note - SETENA is the governmental institution that assesses the environmental impact of any type of development.  

  

Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeeper es parte de un movimiento mundial que inició en 1966

Somos una organización sin fines de lucro creada recientemente en nuestro país, miembro de la Alianza Waterkeeper, una alianza de más de 240 organizaciones guardianes del agua alrededor del mundo. Esta Alianza agrupa a personas que se comprometen a luchar por tener agua apta para tomar, para nadar y para pescar.

La Alianza Waterkeeper empezó en 1966 en el Río Hudson en los Estados Unidos al unirse un grupo de pescadores locales para salvar el río formando la Asociación de Pescadores del Río Hudson. Estos pescadores lucharon fervientemente por hacer cumplir la ley con el apoyo de la ciudadanía, así lograron proteger su río, su fuente de ingresos y la salud de sus familias. Enfrentaron
a muchas de las compañías industriales contaminadoras y ganaron.

Santa Teresa, Costa Rica:  Photo - Carlos Palacios

En 1983, contrataron al primer guardián del agua Waterkeeper del Hudson para patrullar el río, restaurar la pesca y liderar la lucha de la sociedad civil por el cumplimiento de las leyes ambientales. Desde ese momento, el Hudson Riverkeeper ha hecho justicia forzando a los contaminadores a invertir cientos de millones de dólares en restaurar la salud del río Hudson. Su éxito estimuló el crecimiento de iniciativas comunitarias similares a nivel mundial. En 1999 se fundó la Alianza Waterkeeper para apoyar estas iniciativas. 

Hoy, la Alianza Waterkeeper es un movimiento ambientalista que crece rápidamente con más de 240 organizaciones guardianes del agua Waterkeeper protegiendo ríos, lagos y aguas costeras alrededor del mundo. El logro que más nos enorgullece es el haber alcanzado tan amplia cobertura a través de nuestras organizaciones, manteniendo una clara unidad de visión que lucha por agua limpia con el fuerte apoyo de sus comunidades.

El equipo de la Alianza ha guiado a muchas organizaciones a través del proceso para convertirse en organizaciones Waterkeeperen los Estados Unidos y en otras partes del mundo.

La organización comunitaria del pueblo está en Plaza Kahuna, Santa Teresa. Pasen a hablar, conocer lo que hacemos y ver si podemos ayudarle de alguna forma para su casa o negocio.

Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeeper is Part of a Global Movement Started in 1966

The Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeeper not-for-profit organization was launched only in 2013, but is part of the global Waterkeeper Alliance that has been growing since the 1960s. 

This huge grass roots community can be found in 240 places around the world. It is made up of people in towns and villages on several continents, all of whom believe in fighting for their right to drinkable, swimmable, fishable and surfable waters.

The Waterkeeper Alliance was started in 1966 on the Hudson river in the US by local fishermen who united to save their river and formed the Hudson River Fishermen’s Association. These fishermen recognized that outspoken, citizen-led advocacy was the only way to ensure that laws were enforced and their river, livelihood and the health of
their families were protected. They took on many of the nation’s biggest industrial polluters and won.

Keep Our Waters Clean - Photo by Carlos Palacios

In 1983, they hired the first full-time Hudson Riverkeeper to patrol the river, to restore its abundant fisheries and to lead citizen-based enforcement of environmental laws. Since those early days, Hudson Riverkeeper has brought hundreds of polluters to justice and forced them to spend hundreds of millions of dollars restoring the Hudson to health. Their success spurred an explosive growth of similar grassroots programs across the globe, and in 1999 Waterkeeper Alliance was founded to support these programs.

Today, Waterkeeper Alliance is the world’s fastest growing environmental movement, with over 240 Waterkeeper Organizations protecting rivers, lakes and coastal waterways on six continents. The Alliance's proudest accomplishment is the depth and breadth of its member organizations and the unity of their vision for clean water and strong communities.

The Support team has helped many prospective Waterkeeper organizations through the proposal process and has networked with a number of grassroots water advocacy groups both domestically and internationally.

Your grassroots, community-based waterkeeper organisation is found in Plaza Kahuna, Santa Teresa. Please stop by for a chat and to learn more about what we do and how we can help your home or business.