However, it seems that although Jaco Beach is attracting a number of investors and residents by offering new apartment complex and commercial buildings, it may soon lose its appeal due to pollution.
The Costa Rican Institute of Drainage and Aqueducts (AyA) is in charge of monitoring the waters at Jaco Beach, as well as the rest of the country, as part of its role within the country’s health system. Every trimester, the AyA takes samples from 3 o 4 sectors at Jaco Beach to test the water for coliform bacteria which normally come from residual waters.
Unfortunately, Jaco has experienced an important increase in water contamination due to the coliform bacteria. The normal levels allowed for swimming in the area is a count of no more than 240 coliforms per 100 mililiters of water. When the level reaches 500 or more, serious sicknesses can develop. Symptoms such as respiratory infections, diarrhea, vomit and allergies can be signs that someone has been contaminated by polluted waters.
In certain areas in Jaco Beach, the levels of contamination have reached from 1,100 to 2,400 coliforms per 100 mililiters of water. This is a considerably important number for a beach that is visited by hundreds of local and foreign tourists, especially by surfers.
Local activists, who were able to obtain the Ecological Blue Flag for the town, are aiming towards cleaning the beach and its water in order to obtain the Blue Flag for the beach as well. They are requesting the mayor and local municipality to take action and enforce strict measures to houses, apartment complexes, hotels and commerce next to the beach.
Hopefully the pollution issue will be under control by the time the World Surf Championship in 2009 begins.
August 8th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Government Announces $200M Plan for Guanacaste
Costa Rica’s central government last week unveiled a major strategic plan aimed at tackling Guanacaste’s infrastructure and development for years to come.
Water, garbage collection and disposal, regulatory plans and increased autonomy for the region’s municipalities are all included in a strategy outlined by President Oscar Arias’ cabinet, meeting in Nicoya on Friday.
The initiatives have a total investment of more than 114 billion colones, or about $209 million.
A diverse, seven-person commission has been set up under the Minister of Planning, Roberto Gallardo, to oversee the strategy and ensure its implementation.
Chief within the strategy is the issue of Guanacaste’s fragile water supply.
“Today we are presenting a plan of action for Guanacaste that, among other things, will finally take care of supplying water to the inhabitants of this province,” President Arias told about 150 invited guests.
“While I am President, each drop of water will continue to be Costa Rican, and I will not rest until each Costa Rican has access to the water they need. Guanacaste will no longer be a province that thirsts…”
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August 8th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
35% Discount Offered To National Tourists
An intensified campaign to spur local tourism beginning in August will mean discounts of up to 35% during the low season and 20% in the high season for Costa Rican nationals.
The ministro de Turismo, Carlos Ricardo Benavides and the president of Canatur, Gonzalo Vargas, yesterday unveiled a program that includes 118 participating businesses that include hotels, travel agencies, tour operators, car rentals and restaurants, that will offer the discounts.
The program called “Redescubra su país” (Rediscover your country) is being promoted by the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICE) - tourism board, the Cámara Nacional de Turismo (Canatur) - national tourism chamber, the Cámara Costarricense de Hoteles (hotel chamber) and the Banco Nacional (BN).
The Tourism minister said that he hopes that the program will increase tourist activity by as much as 20% by the end of the year.
The program is geared towards Ticos (Costa Ricans) to visit every corner of the country, the tourism industry spending as much as ¢200 million colones on television and newspaper advertising to promote the program.
For his part, the president of the Cámara de Hoteleros, Carlos Lachner, the national tourist is the main support of the industry and had no doubt that local tourist will maintain the industry afloat in the face of a decrease of the expected drop in US tourists, a result of the economic conditions of the US.
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