Mar Techniques Opportunities in Enhancing Drinking Water Supply Systems in Costa Rica

Global change demands new solutions to meet adequate supply of drinking water both in quality and quantity for this and future generations. The Costa Rican drinking water institute (AyA) is exploring new ways to meet the actual and future demand of water resources in the country. Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is among the integrated water management techniques AyA is currently analysing.

To explore the environmental, social and economic conditions and institutional capabilities for MAR in Costa Rica the AyA will implement a research project composed of two components. The first component is a pilot project in the Machuca River Basin in the central pacific region of the country. The second project focus on the search for other drinking water supply systems with the best opportunities for an adequate application of MAR techniques.

This communication refers to the research of the MAR opportunities for the drinking water supply systems. The criteria to select the systems in a first phase will be: 1) declining water levels in aquifers and 2) drinking water systems located in coastal regions. To select which of the identified systems presents the best opportunities for MAR will be based on the first stage of the feasibility assessment of the Australian MAR guideline, which identify potentially viable MAR projects. All potentially viable MAR projects will pass to the second stage is being currently developed with focus on more detailed research on the identified aquifer and the recharge technique. It is expected to develop future MAR pilot projects in the near future.