A Hole in This Pipeline Caused a 4-Day Water Shortage for 500,000 Costa Ricans.

For four days, between 400,000 and 500,000 eastern San José residents suffered without water for basics like showers and cooking. The cause of their suffering was a broken water pipe in Orosi, which took the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewer Systems (AyA) four working days fix in order to restore water to all affected residents and businesses.

The problem began when the land on top of the underground pipe suffered a landslide, causing a 40-centimeter wide (almost 16-inch) crack to appear in the tube. To correct the problem, a 1.5 meter (5 foot) section of tube had to be replaced. “The pipe problem was resolved at 2 a.m. on Sunday, and from there we began the process of supplying and distributing potable water,” assistant manager for AyA, Guillermo Arce, said.

However, though 98 percent of the 500,000 are now with water again, last weekend saw many restaurants, sodas, butcher shops, and other commercial enterprises without water and, therefore, without income. Rain water helped wash dishes and food instruments, though bottled water had to be purchased for customers and even then, many restaurant and soda owners reported that they could only stay open for a few hours. AyA is said to have lost approximately ¢120 million ($242,400) in potential water use over the four days.

Last weekend’s water problem highlights a serious vulnerability in the system. Currently, AyA has only one water pipe to carry vast quantities of water from Orosi into the San José area. The tube carries about 2,100 liters (555 gallons) of water per minute. Other water pipes carry water to San José from Puente de Mulas, río Tiribí, La Valencia, and La Planta de Guadalupe.

Many of AyA’s affected customers are furious and frustrated by the water suspension, citing unexpected costs. A ¢6,000 bottle of water that Ana Madrigal bought, to make up for the lack of drinking water, is more than two times her monthly AyA bill. Business owners, in a mad rush to supply water for various reasons, also invested in bottled water, surely racking up much higher bills this month than in any other.

For many, the weekend’s events were a call to action for AyA, demanding that the company set up backup water supplies and pipes, so that this will not happen again. Ricardo Sancho, executive president of AyA, said that the company does have an emergency system which connects other piping systems to the damaged one, allowing customers to receive water during those times.

Despite Sancho’s reassurances, as many as 500,000 customers were left without potable water for four days. Some experienced bleach-filled water, while others could coax not even a drop out of their faucets. The affected clients demand to know why AyA’s emergency system failed them, and an unlucky 2 percent want to know why they are still without water, almost a week after it was originally turned off for repairs.

Photo Courtesy of Al Dia.

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Filed under: Travel on July 8th, 2008