Entrepreneurs from Papapayo tourist resort and Tourism Chamber of Guanacaste (Caturgua) met authorities from the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) and Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA) to study the problem of water scarcity in the province. They stimate that layoffs and higher costs will take place.
Caturgua president Priscilla Solano declared that 100% of hotels are reporting drinking water problems, especially in Playa Hermosa and Playa Panamá.
According to Solano, as time passes by, the situation worsens, because the investment to buy water will increase and since businessmen will be unable to pay for that, the first thing they’ll do is to fire people. In the area, 700 families benefit from tourism and opportunities to look for other kind of jobs are minimal.
President Luis Guillermo Solís approved a decree on October 14th, 2014, which intended to create a Water Supply Project in Guanacaste and the evaluate wells’ current situation.
In addition, Yamileth Astorga, president of AyA, declared that they are working on the construction of a desalination plant and it is intended to be completed by the end of the year.