Officials from the Water and Sewer Institute (AyA) and the Paraíso Municipality on Wednesday agreed to the first steps in addressing ongoing water shortages that in recent months have extended to two additional Cartago cantons.
Farms and tourist areas near the country’s colonial capital, located 22 kilometers east of San José, have been hit hard by water scarcity, including diminished reserves that traditionally supply enough water for the entire province and more than half a million residents in eastern San José.
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.
Water shortages currently affecting 77 communities throughout Costa Rica likely will continue until the end of April, the Water and Sewer Institute said this week.
Costa Rica's ongoing hot and dry weather is causing water shortages, especially in high-altitude areas of the capital and some parts of the province of Heredia.
