President Rodrigo Chaves announced an emergency decree to address the water contamination due to mercury in Crucitas. The local community desperately needs potable water after the water sources were contaminated with mercury due to illegal gold mining.
The problem began when the Canadian company Industrias Infinito intended to build an open pit mine. Still, the project was closed in a court case for irregularities and corruption in the granting of the concession during the administration of Óscar Arias Sánches (2006-2010). It became a no man’s land due to the inaction and negligence of previous governments.
Illegal mining has caused enormous environmental damage and affected those living there.
“Authorities of the Ministry of Health, the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewerage (AyA), and the National Commission for Risk Prevention and Emergency Attention (CNE), join efforts to meet the needs of the residents of Roble-Chamorro, Llano Verde, El Jocote, Crucitas, and Chorreras,” said Chaves.
On February 24, Alexei Carrillo Villegas, Minister a.i. of Health, Alejandro Picado Eduarte, Executive President of the CNE, and representatives of AyA visited the area. They spoke with the neighbors to learn about the water contamination problem in the northern region.
“CNE has donated more than a thousand containers to AyA to distribute water to those affected,” emphasized Alejandro Picado, executive president of the CNE.
A technical report is being developed between the Ministry of Health and AyA, which will be the first step in defining the subsequent actions to be taken by the entities involved.
“In 2022, the Ministry of Health detected the presence of mercury. We issued sanitary orders to close these sources and responsibly recommend the population not consume this liquid. We work with institutions to ensure people have access to drinking water,” noted Carrillo.
The former Minister of Health, Joselyn Chacón, and the Minister of the Environment and Energy (MINAE), Franz Tattenbach, submitted a report to the Constitutional Court on “plans, mitigation measures or damage restoration” in the area due to mercury contamination of drinking water sources.
The document, which officials described as a “containment plan,” indicates that “due to the diffuse contamination in the area and the magnitude of the area, it is impossible to think about removing the mercury,” and the right thing to do would be to stop the illegal extraction activity in the area.”
