COASTAL WATER QUALITY IN COSTA RICA

Tourism is the principle foreign currency earner in Costa Rica. The two main attractions for visitors are beach recreation and nature tourism in the country's many national parks. For the past two years the Ecological Blue Flag Program, a cooperative venture between various ministries and the private sector has been conducting regular monitoring of fecal coliform levels in rivers, estuaries, near-shore sea water and drinking water for some 60 beaches around the county. The Blue Flag Program certifies beaches according to their sanitation and environmental quality, publicizing the rating and providing information locally at beaches (e.g. signposting). With rapid urban growth following tourism development it is now recognized that despite the country's large number of beaches, poor waste water disposal may lead to unacceptable sanitary conditions at some of the most popular and accessible ones.

One town has experienced a sevenfold increase in population and largely unplanned urban growth since the last census in 1984. Visitation by both Costa Rican residents and foreign tourists is one of the highest in the country, roughly estimated at some 30,000 a month during high season from December-March. Fecal coliform levels in river water and sea water indicate a large presence of untreated sewage. Evaluations of sewage loading from household s and business to nearby water bodies is difficult due to total lack of municipal inspection of on-site disposal systems. Of inhabited households some 87% had a septic tank, while the remaining 13% used either latrines or pits. Only two hotels have functional small scale treatment plants, while the rest rely on septic tanks or direct discharge. Monitoring data show fecal coliform counts far exceeding recommended guidelines for human contact in rivers and estuaries all year round, while in sea water sewage pollution is below recommended levels most of the year at most stations.

Coliform levels in sea water could be expected to rise above recommended levels if visitation and town population continue to rise without installation of adequate sewage disposal. With no other towns in the microwatershed, prevailing sea currents and dilution affects the area. River estuaries are used as an alternative to bathing in the sea by both visitors and households. There was a recent bout of haemorraghic diarrhea. 92% of households in the area had in-house access to municipal tap water after a recent extension of the system. Well-water is used mainly as a backup to the unstable municipal water supply which is drawn from surface springs in the mountains behind the community. While recent tests of water from the well-sites themselves had been unable to reveal fecal coliform bacteria in drinking water, levels above recommendations had been detected in groundwater near some community wells. Leaching from poorly maintained septic tanks was suspected as the main cause, with groundwater shallow, at a depth of only a few meters under most of the town, making soils easily saturated and permeable during heavy tropical rains.

There are hydrological linkages between sewage discharges to rivers, groundwater and the sea.

A sewage system has been proposed for the community with the municipal government in charge. The money necessary to building the system could be obtained from outside the community. However, in order to operate and maintain the system the municipality would require a monthly contribution by the inhabitants and the tourism sector. Each household connection would lead sewage to a plant situated at a distance from the community where treated water would be released to the sea.

 

RESIDENTS

If there was a vote in favor or against each household paying a monthly sewage charge with the purpose of implementing a sewage system and obtaining the improvements in water quality, how would you vote?

1. against a monthly sewage charge
2. in favor of a monthly sewage charge
3. don't know/no answer

If the cost to your household of implementing the system and obtaining the improvements in water quality was colones per month, would your household be willing to pay the sewage charge? Remember that we are comparing the improvements between the situation in five years if no measures are taken and the situation if the sewage system is built. Yes No don't know/no answer

A ranges from 250 to 6,000 colones per month for local households and 50 to 1,500 colones for visitors.

The costs of operation and maintenance of the sewage system are not known with certainty. Now, if the cost to each household of realizing the system and the benefit in water quality was A colones per month would your household be willing to pay the sewage charge.

Yes No don't know/no answer

VISITORS

If, on your next visit, there were a voluntary road toll per person at the entrance to the area with the purpose of implementing the sewage system and obtaining the improvements in water quality, would you or would you not pay

I would not make a voluntary payment
I make a voluntary payment
don't know/no answer

Now, in the following questions keep in mind that you already pay for other public services and that you can visit the other beaches that you mentioned at the start of the interview. Also remember that if you pay a road toll you will have to reduce your budget during your stay be the same amount.

If at this voluntary road toll the ask for A colones per adult for the improvements in water quality in this area would you be personally willing to pay this amount. Remember that we are comparing the improvements between the situation in five years if no measures are taken and the situation if the sewage system is built.

Yes No don't know/no answer

The costs of operation and maintenance of the sewage system are not known with certainty. If at this voluntary road toll they ask for colones per adult for the improvements in water quality in the area, would you be personally willing to pay this amount.

Yes No don't know/no answer

David N. Barton "Applying NOAA Panel Recommendations to Contingent Valuation Studies in Developing Countries - A Case Study of Coastal Water Quality in Costa Rica" Department of Economics and Social Sciences at the Agricultural University of Norway Discussion Paper #D-24/1998

Also asked about problems facing the site; Frequency and type of activities practices at the beach and substitute sites; Knowledge of family illness related to contaminated water; Opinion of current level of local water quality in the sea, rivers and groundwater; Classify water quality using cards; Present info on current water quality on showcards and a colour coded map; Using two sets of maps ask to consider two alternative paths for water quality, with and without a community water treatment plant from the present to five years hence; Ask if five year projections credible; How often do you plan to visit the site over the next five years given your current knowledge of the site; Preferences for local institution that would implement the waste water treatment project; Domestic water and sanitation practices

Classification levels used in showcards Sea water (A-C) River and estuarine water (1-3) Well-and groundwater (I-III)
Class A/1/I Fit for swimming all year Fit for human contact all year Potable well-water, no fecal pollution in groundwater
Class B/2/II Fit for swimming in dry season not fit for rest of year Fit for human contact in the dry season, not fit in rest of year Potable well-water; contamination possibility from fecal pollution in surrounding groundwater
Class C/3/III Not fit for swimming all year Not fit for human contact all year Well-water not potable; fecal pollution in groundwater



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