Describe your everyday interactions with water. Consider water collection, water uses, water treatment, water storage

The ASADA Sámara, located in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, provides water service to 451 subscribers. Among its many functions, it controls water production and purification to prevent draining in the village and to guarantee service quality at any time. Also, it manages new services, for them not to grow disproportionately, as well as projects with little interest in sustainability, to avoid shortages in the near future. Because it is located in a tourist area, there is often pressure from developers that are looking to create large projects.

Describe your situation / problem below, considering the above provided guiding questions (Note: the text field expand once you write, submit a full textual description here)

This ASADA has some problems that could eventually limit water access. One of these situations is related to the invasion of ecosystems. Due to the urban and tourism development of the area and the unplanned use of territory, there are great risks. For example, there is currently a project that aims to build a 13-story building near the bay. This project would have a significant impact on marine and terrestrial fauna in the area. This situation could cause a significant increase in water demand and the risk of shortages. There is also a case of deforestation for livestock purposes in a groundwater recharge zone with a high percentage of mature forest. Also, some people constantly destroy parts of one of the most important mangroves in the area to expand infrastructure. On the other hand, the Samara Bay is in a basin that supplies three ASADAS but in its groundwater recharge area, there are almost 4,000 hectares of monoculture of Teak plantation, which causes high erosion and makes infiltration difficult. Another major problem is wastewater discharge due to bad construction practices of septic tanks which are the predominant wastewater management system used in the countryside. The ASADA is working together with other entities in the design of a future sewerage network with its respective treatment plant. So, to carry out this project, we have been georeferencing the septic tanks. Besides, in the areas where there is greater pollution, it is intended to deal with Biosystems (Bioplanters).

The aim: What does a desired situation addressing the above-described situation/problem look like?

Creation of a sewerage network to improve sanitation

What do you think are potential solutions?

Develop a tool that allows us to map septic tanks in the community of Samara Beach to strengthen the design of a potential sewerage network. Also, to create a small geoportal that allows us to improve the decision-making process in our ASADA.

What resources would you have available to help address the above-described problem? (e.g. time, budget, technical means available locally...)

We have staff, time, and strategic alliances with universities.