No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsEnvironment and WildlifeCosta Rica passes 2nd 'popular initiative' bill, which declares water access a...

Costa Rica passes 2nd ‘popular initiative’ bill, which declares water access a fundamental right

Water in Costa Rica will be considered a public good, and general access for consumption will be a fundamental right, according to a bill passed in a first-round vote Monday night at the Legislative Assembly.

The Water Resources Management Bill was passed at 10:40 p.m. by 41 lawmakers and received only four “No” votes by members of the Libertarian Movement Party.

Among its most important provisions is the priority establishment of the use of water for human consumption and the creation of the National Water Directorate (DINA), a new office at the Environment Ministry (MINAE).

The bill states that MINAE would be the top government agency for water issues, but representatives of the Agriculture and Livestock Ministry, the Planning and Economic Policy Ministry and the Health Ministry also would have responsibilities at the new office. The president also would be part of DINA as a conflict-management mediator.

By declaring water a public good, the bill would ensure that its regulation is in the hands of the government, which could grant distribution concessions to the private sector.

This provision is intended to prevent the privatization of the water supply, “as water sources located on private properties could only be commercially exploited via a government concession,” National Liberation Party lawmaker Alfonso Pérez Gómez said. Pérez Gómez chairs the Assembly’s Environmental Committee, which approved the drafting of the bill.

The bill also sets new taxes and protective measures for companies that are granted a concession “in order to prevent overexploitation and to protect aquifers,” Pérez added.

The draft bill is being amended with changes negotiated during Monday’s session of the full Assembly and will be submitted for review by the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court, or Sala IV.

On Tuesday morning, the Union of Private-Sector Chambers and Associations sent lawmakers a letter asking them to speed up approval in a second and final round of debate, and to skip consultation with the Sala IV to avoid more delays.

But Broad Front Party lawmaker and former presidential candidate José María Villalta said the Sala IV consultation would move forward.

A second round of debate is expected in the last week of April, before the end of the current legislative period. New lawmakers will take office on May 1.

Costa Rica currently faces serious water supply problems, and residents of 77 communities have faced daily rationing of up to 12 hours since January. Water shortages likely will continue through the end of April, the Water and Sewer Institute said last week.

Bill #17,742 is the second piece of legislation approved by “popular initiative,” meaning it was presented to lawmakers by environmental groups who collected more than 150,000 signatures, or five percent of national voters.

The first popular initiative approved was the Wildlife Act, which banned hunting for sport in the country in January 2013.

Trending Now

Costa Rica’s Piangua Mollusk Threatened by Pineapple Farm Runoff

Costa Rica’s Térraba-Sierpe National Wetland, a 33,000-hectare haven of mangroves and rivers, is under siege from an unlikely source: pineapple farms. A study by...

Costa Rica’s Rare Birds at Risk as Human Activity Threatens Extinction

Costa Rica’s bare-necked umbrellabird, a striking black bird with a red throat pouch and crest, is in trouble. A new study in Nature Ecology...

U.S. – Guatemala Security Pact Targets Crime and Helps Returning Migrants

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem signed a border security cooperation agreement with Guatemala on Thursday, which includes the use of drones and...

Costa Rica to Launch Electric Air Taxis for Sustainable Travel in Guanacaste

Costa Rica is poised to revolutionize its transportation landscape with the introduction of electric air taxis, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional ground travel...

Costa Rica Hunts for Nicaraguan Hit Squad After Exile’s Assassination

Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) is investigating whether a hit squad tied to Nicaragua’s Ortega-Murillo regime is targeting exiled critics on its soil....

Costa Rica Pushes USA to the Brink but Falls in Penalty Heartbreak

If you just caught the end of the USA vs. Costa Rica Gold Cup quarterfinal, you probably feel like you need another cup of...
L. Arias
L. Arias
Reporter | The Tico Times |
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
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