Costa Rica News – The Ministry of Environment and Energy last week approved a plan to solve the water shortage in Atenas. Works were stalled because when acquiring the land to bring water to the community it became state heritage.
The work had already begun in Los Chorros but the land became the state’s patrimony. AyA acquired the land for the sole purpose of benefiting a community with problematic access to clean water but there was a law against using the natural resources that belong to the state. The state however bought it for that very reason.
Because of this situation a new law was passed that allows the work to continue. Environmentalists worry that the law will lead to irreversible damage to protected lands in the future.
The Minister of Environment and Energy assured the public that national parks and biological reserves will not be allowed to be exploited for the use of water for human consumption. The law was made not to allow damage to national parks and reserves rather to be able to buy and use lands outside of those protected areas. There are plenty of water sources outside of those areas. It was just a logistical concern about purchased land becoming state property.
