This is a problem faced by many areas in Central America including our little village of Boquete.  Growth outpaced infrastructure improvements.  Thank goodness we are going to get the $25 Million project to improve ours.  Some places are not so lucky.

In Santa Cruz the issuance of new building permits for the exploitation of existing water sources has been prohibited due to risk of salinization of near-shore wells.

Until a proper long term water plan has been created, including the construction of a new pipeline, real estate development projects must remain on paper, since new construction permits will not be granted in three districts in Guanacaste most sought out by tourists, Tamarindo, Cabo Velas and Tempate.

“… Paralysis of development in Tamarindo, Cabo Velas and Tempate -home to 17,000 people- is in exact response to the excessive development seen in these districts in the last decade. The Huacas-Tamarindo aquifer that which supplies drinking water, must be subjected to ‘renovation’.

Nacion.com reported that “… The solution will take a long time. According to Carlos Romero, director of Research and Water Management at Senara, it is likely that shortages and drought may last until at least 2017. Yamileth Astorga, AyA’s president urged drilling into the aquifer to stop, an aquifer which is currently used by more than 10 rural aqueducts. The Managing Water Supply and Sewerage Association of Tamarindo is owner of the wells most likely to be salinized.”

Source: CentralAmericaData.COM