Water Supplier Begins Rationing in Beach Town

PROVING the fears of many residentsare not unfounded, a private watersupplier in the growing beach communitiesof Tamarindo and Langosta, in thenorthwest province of Guanacaste, hasbegun rationing water overnight inresponse to increased demand.Acueducto Servicios Beko, which has aconcession to provide water services, confirmedthis week it has begun shuttingdown its wells’ pumps from 10 p.m. to 5a.m. to give the wells a chance to replenish.Lisbeth Cerdas, manager of Beko, toldThe Beach Times, an English-languagecommunity newspaper in the area, enoughwater exists for the district, but the wellswill be rested and alternated to preventthem from becoming salinized. The movewas made in anticipation of 400 newrequests for water service connections.She stressed they are trying to coverhuman consumption needs, rather than nonessentialuses such as watering of gardens.Longtime Tamarindo resident JerryHirsch, a member of the TamarindoCommunity Improvement Association,questioned the fairness of rationing waterfor some homes, but not all in the area.“Why should Langosta be cut back,but not all of Tamarindo?” he asked.Beko is one of three suppliers inTamarindo and the surrounding area, whichall tap water from the basin of the MatapaloRiver, according to The Beach Times.The Community ImprovementAssociation has raised concerns recentlyabout rapid, uncontrolled development ofcondominiums and other projects withoutadequate planning and consideration ofthe effect on availability of potable water(TT, Jan. 7).The Municipality of Santa Cruz, whichhas jurisdiction over the area, is workingwith the National Subterranean Water andIrrigation Service (SENARA) and AyA ona controversial plan to divert water fromthe Río Piedra and use it as a source forpotable water for people from Brasilitoto Tamarindo (TT, Jan. 21).