OHMCR The Best Costa Rica Travel Guide

After being tagged as one of the 13 beaches with high levels of contaminated water, the Jaco Beach community has come together to revert the damage and make sure that the waters of Jaco Beach are once again safe to swim in.

Jaco Beach in Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast, is one of the most popular beaches in the region for both local and foreign tourists.  At a 2 hour drive from downtown San Jose, the town of Jaco offers a vibrant ambiance and night life as well as the commodities of a thriving town.

Jaco is also very popular among surfers from around the world as its waters offers great waves for beginners and professional surfers.  Unfortunately, due to the rapidly growing popularity of Jaco, its ocean waters have been seriously contaminated by untreated residual waters carrying a considerable amount of coliform particles.

The Costa Rican National Water Laboratory recently pointed out 13 beaches which presented enough contamination levels to provoke health problems to people who would swim in its waters.

The Costa Rican government has intervened by setting strict sanctions to those beaches which do not take necessary measures in keeping its environment clean and by rewarding those who do.  Several members of different sectors of the Jaco community along with the Municipality have joined forces to monitor water treatment plants as well as proper disposal of garbage.

The community of Jaco expects to follow the example of other beaches such as Tamarindo in order to have clean waters and earn the Ecological Blue Flag granted to communities and beaches which have a positive impact on the environment.

written by Carolyn Ramer \\ tags: costa rica Ecological Blue Flag, Costa Rican National Water Laboratory, Ecological Blue Flag, Jaco Beach, Jaco Beach contaminated water, jaco Ecological Blue Flag

Jaco Beach in Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast has experienced an incredible growth in just a short time.  As soon as you pull in on Jaco’s main road, you will see a number of new apartment buildings and commerce being built.

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.

written by fernando \\ tags: Costa Rica Contamination, Costa Rican Institute of Drainage and Aqueducts, Jaco Beach, World Surf Championship 2009

Since 1997, the Ministry of Cults division of Patrimonial Research and Investigation has held an annual contest dubbed Save Our Architectural Patrimony.

The contest, which is entering into its 12th year, seeks to preserve architectural patrimony by actively involving the regional communities. The contest calls for owners and community members alike to propose a building for participating in the contest.

The owner or owners of historic structure chosen as the winner will receive roughly $200,000 to be used for its restoration.

This years deadline is set for 3:00pm on Friday July 18th. In order for a building to be entered into the contest, a complete restoration proposal must also be attached. The report must include details on its restoration as long as it maintains its original structure. The person or organization in charge of entering a building into the contest, will also win around $20,000 if their building is chosen as the winner.

Over the past years winners have included houses and public buildings from all over Costa Rica. From the structures that have previously won the contest, the ones that stand out the most are the Black Star Line and the Missionary House in the province of Limon.

The Black Star Line is the center of Limon cultural activities and home to the most visited Caribbean Restaurant in the region. The Missionary House is currently the offices for the First Baptist Church and is also famous for being the first two story house built in Limon.

Other winners from previous years also include La Merced Catholic Church in downtown San Jose, Fait House in Puntarenas, Liberia Town House in Guanacaste and the famous Mazorca Restaurant in San Pedro among others.

Organizers are waiting on all final entries by tomorrow and the 2008 winner will be announced on August 14th.

written by Carolyn Ramer \\ tags: Costa Rica Contamination, Costa Rican Institute of Drainage and Aqueducts, Costa Rica’s National Theatre, Jaco Beach, Maria Elena Carballo, Palo Verde Biological Station, Puerto Jimenez fishermen, World Surf Championship 2009