Costa Rica Real Estate News – Water shortages affect so many aspects of a society. Farms may be restricted from using water for irrigation purposes on certain days, running water in homes may be shut off for some hours each day, schools and businesses may be closed due to lack of water for drinking as well as bathroom water for flushing toilets and washing hands, elderly people may become weak from not having enough drinking water.
Implications are even further reaching than individuals, residences, and buildings. Water shortage also affects real estate.
Real estate values go down because no one wants to buy a home or a piece of land where there are frequent water problems! In addition, real estate developments are often halted during water crises.
Development can be put on hold because of a lack of drinking water for the workers. This has happened recently in many communities such as Escazu and Santa Ana. The cantons are not approving any local expansion permits. The permits to expand a property are being held indefinitely unprocessed!
Perez Zeledon is facing a similar problem. All building permits that were already approved are deemed “frozen.” The mayor is contemplating the effect that buying land where water springs are located will have on the general public who benefit from those water sources.
The canton of Guayabo was interested in completing a social project for the community but plans have been delayed over the lack of water and value of land, “which is creating a problem with the housing issue,” according to Mayor Monge.
The director of the National Union of Local Governments, Leonardo Campos, explained that those projects that will help the water shortage will have priority from local governments. If a building project will have a negative impact on this problem, the political will will be against it.
Water problems threaten development, and development furthers the water shortage. Campos said that the problem must be studied so that land use can be directed at productive growth, housing, and the health of the communities.
We can only hope that they do not take their “Tico Time” to get the problems fixed. Most of the time if it does not directly effect them or someone in their family then it can take a while for government entities to act.
