No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsEnvironment and WildlifeWater shortages worse than ever in Heredia

Water shortages worse than ever in Heredia

Last year, thousands of Costa Rican residents went months without water. This year, in the north-central province of Heredia, it is going to be worse.

“The last rainy season was not as strong as we had hoped,” said Francisco Angulo, a spokesman for the Public Services Company of Heredia (ESPH). “It is much worse than it has been before.”

This is the third consecutive year that Heredia has had water shortages due to lack of rainfall. Experts at Costa Rica’s National Meteorological Institute (IMN) claimed that a high-pressure blockage in the Caribbean is to blame.

“Heredia receives much of its water from the mountains, which is affected by the Caribbean weather,” said Gabriella Chinchilla, an IMN meteorologist. “High-pressure in the region has prevented the formation of cold fronts, which create rain.”

According to the ESPH, Heredian aqueducts are down 25-30 percent from their normal levels, and rationing is already in effect in Heredia’s northern and central cantons. The rationing affects approximately 25,000 people. Though the ESPH posts rationing schedules on their website, complaints on their Facebook page from residents reveal unscheduled shutoffs.

(Via ESPH's Facebook)
(Via Facebook)

 

(Via ESPH's Facebook)
(Via Facebook)

Exacerbating Heredia’s problems is the ESPH’s reliance on surface water aqueducts, which are more reliant on heavy rainfall to refill. In years past, rain has kept these aqueducts full, but the company has failed to develop underground wells for times of drought.

“Further into the dry season we will need to look underground to solve the problem,” Angulo said. “Right now we have plans to put in three underground wells in central Heredia.”

Providing water services to almost 5 percent of the population, the ESPH is the second biggest water authority in the country. The majority of Costa Ricans receive water from their municipalities or rural associations that manage individual wells.

Unlike the ESPH, Costa Rica’s largest single supplier of water, the Costa Rican Water and Sewer Institute (AyA), says they do not anticipate major problems during the dry season.

“98 percent of our customers will have water without rationing,” said Sergio Nuñez, the AyA’s assistant director for the greater metropolitan area. “The only areas of concern are San José’s high points.”

Nuñez named Ciudad Colón, Escazú, Santa Ana and Alajuelita as possible sites for rationing further in the dry season.

Trending Now

Costa Rica 2026 Elections Kick Off: 20 Candidates Vie for Presidency

Costa Rica's electoral season began yesterday with the Supreme Electoral Tribunal's official call for the 2026 national elections. Eugenia Zamora, the TSE president, described...

Costa Rica Updates National ID Card with Enhanced Security Features

Costa Rica's Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) rolled out a redesigned physical identity card today. The update focuses on better protection against fraud while keeping...

Costa Rica Faces Rising Extortion from Informal Lenders, Says UN

A new United Nations study sheds light on the rapid spread of informal lending schemes called "gota a gota" across Costa Rica, where high-interest...

Costa Rica Bill Targets Pretrial Detention for Organized Crime Cases

Costa Rica's Legislative Assembly is moving forward with a bill that aims to strengthen the rules around pretrial detention in response to growing threats...

How the US Shutdown Could Disrupts Travel to Costa Rica

As the US federal government enters a partial shutdown starting today October 1, travelers heading to Costa Rica face potential hurdles. The impasse stems...

Costa Rica Bill Targets Public Drinking with Fines and Jail Time

Lawmakers in Costa Rica have put forward a bill to crack down on drinking in public spaces, aiming to cut down on related disturbances...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica