The Government inaugurated the long awaited Las Trancas-Bahía de Papagayo aqueduct in the district of Carrillo, Guanacaste.

This project will provide an additional 120 liters of water per second, which will supply 14,250 people in communities, as well as the manufacturing and tourism sectors. It consists of 15 kilometers of pipes and a 3,000 cubic meter water storage tank.

The project was developed through an agreement between the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT), the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA) and the private company Grassland Enterprise Limited.

The total investment was of over $6.6 million, of which AyA provided $3.2+ million, the ICT provided more than $2.4 million, and the company Grassland Enterprise sponsored the construction of a storage tank, valued at almost $1 million.

The inauguration had the presence of President Carlos Alvarado, the Minister of Tourism, María Amalia Revelo, and the Executive President of the AyA, Yamileth Astorga Espeleta. The President of the Guanacaste Chamber of Tourism and member of the Golfo Papagayo Tourism Hub’s Board of Directors, Aileen Ocampo Fernández, as well as representatives of the private sector and community leaders were present.

“Not only does this aqueduct turn on the tap on in terms of quality, quantity, and continuity, we are also opening the doors for the planned tourism development projects agreed to by the ICT for licenses held by the Golfo de Papagayo Tourism Hub. We are opening the door to the creation of jobs and to all the associated services that will be used,” said the tourism minister.

“This is one of the projects that was developed during the period of our national emergency due to drought, a phenomenon that seriously affected us between 2014 and 2016. We must recognize the work done in partnership by the ICT and the private sector, which is now allowing us to provide a permanent solution to communities like Playa Panamá y Playa Hermosa, who suffered from saltwater intrusion in their water sources,” stressed the AyA’s Executive President, Yamileth Astorga.

The Las Trancas-Bahía de Papagayo aqueduct is one of the 54 projects implemented by the Comprehensive Water Supply Program for Guanacaste (PIAAG).