TRANSLATED FROM ARTICLE IN LA NACÍON, 12 NOVEMBER, 2000, SAN JOSÉ, By Sergio Alvarez (Student 2004)
There Will Be Less Water
AyA will ration the supply
ICE discounts blackouts]
March and April: Two months that bring the image of heat and drought… now, imagine them without water.
This is the glimpse that the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA) is giving for several communities of the metropolitan area of San José during the next dry season.
The measurements of the National Meteorological Institute support that forecast, since during this year’s winter—which is almost over—the amount of rain decreased between 10 and 20 percent in the Central Valley, in comparison to 1999.
The situation was still worse in the Northern Pacific region, where meteorologists estimate that it rained about 25 percent less than average.
Besides the reduction in precipitation, the El Nino phenomenon—and abnormal warming of the Pacific Ocean’s surface waters—threatens to further complicate next year’s situation. However, the Meteorological Institute expects to get more data during the next months to determine if this phenomenon will really reoccur.
Meteorologist Werner Stolz commented that currently, the sea surface temperatures are normal, and could stay that way during the dry season of 2001.
For Eric Alfaro, physical oceanographer of the University of Costa Rica, there still exists a great controversy about the possibilities of another El Niño developing, an event that would cause drought throughout the Pacific slope and the Central Valley.
Costa Rican authorities are already working on the issue. AyA announced rationing, but the Costa Rican Institute of Electricity (ICE) dismissed the possibility of problems in the hydroelectric dams.
Concerning the agricultural sector, its representatives expect to be prepared to face the possible consequences, since the drought conditions not only affect plantations, they also affect coastal fishing.
Scarcity Being Felt
If the numbers from the IMN don’t convince you, then take note of the following: Aqueducts and Sewers already feels “the steps of a big animal”.
The executive president of the institution, Rafael Villalta, asserted that for the past month ago they have suffered from the reduction of surface waters sources. “During this winter I’ve been worried by the atypical condition, strong rains for two or three days combined with long days of drought”.
At the end, this condition caused a reduction in the normal quantities of water in water intake sites such as the ones locates in the Tiribí River, Tres Ríos, and La Uníon.
There, in October, 609 liters of liquid per second were recorded, representing a decrease of 16 liters per second from the average.
At the moment the reduction is not significant, but as the summer comes the quantity of water intake will diminish even more, explained Guillermo Montero the manager of the water plant in Tres Ríos.
As he further explained, the plant receives an average of 700 liters, but during the dry season that could go to as little as 300 liters.
All these reduction will provoke shortage problems in the communities further up the metropolitan aqueduct, like Desamparados and Moravia.
The director of the System of Operations of the metropolitan aqueduct, Isidro Solis, estimated that the water supply system receives around 6,000 liters of water per second. With the shortage of liquid during the summer, this flow would be reduced by 21 percent; or about 1,100 liters per second.
For Rafael Villalta, the eventual drought should not provoke panic among those served by the aqueduct, but they already must take the necessary preventative measures. “It is not exaggerated if they start saving water”, he said. (See attached box)
Furthermore, during next March and April there will probably be nighttime rationing in the metropolitan area.
There Will Not Be Electric Shortages
Unlike what is expected for the water supply, the country will not have to suffer power blackouts during the summer, even if there is less water available.
The Costa Rican Institute of Electricity (ICE) dismissed any type of problem in the generation of hydroelectric energy.
The importance of water is, according to the Report on the State of the Nation, due to the fact that hydroelectric energy represents 82 percent of the total electricity generated.
The assistant manager of ICE, Armando Balma, assured that the institution is ready for next summer. “We know that 2001 will be a really dry year, but we are prepared”, he insisted.
The inauguration of La Angostura, the new hydroelectric plant at Turrialba (in the Reventazón basin)—next December 5th—will contribute 180 megawatts more to the national grid, which will further reduce the independence from generation of energy with fossil fuels (thermal), much more expensive for the country.
The chief of plants from the Administrative Board of Electrical Service of Cartago (JA-SEC), Carlos Quiros, also discounted any shortage.
“We are ready to face drought periods up to three months long, longer periods would force us into buying energy from the ICE”, he added.
Attempts to Minimize Effects
Agriculture gets ready
Vanessa Loaiza
The agricultural production of the nation depends greatly on irrigation. However, during the warmest months—April and May principally—rural aqueducts dry out and producers are left defenseless, praying to the heavens for at least one shower to freshen the fields.
During the last El Niño event, in the 1997-1998 season, the important production of citrus and grain were negatively affected by the lack of water. The regions of Chorotega (Guanacaste) and Huetar Norte (North zone) were the most adversely affected.
This time, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) does not want the same thing to happen.
If a climatic event of such magnitude as that period’s were to occur again, the MAG is already working on prevention and contingency plans to minimize as much as possible the effects of the drought.
Carlos Ramírez, counselor of the ministry, confirmed that the agency will work in coordination with the National Service of Groundwater, Irrigation, and Drainage (SENARA), to identify those areas of Guancaste Province that would require assistance.
In those communities wells would be installed or regular periodic visits of water tanks would be scheduled from the National Counsel of Production, so that they can irrigate the most arid fields.
Furthermore, agriculturalists are not the only ones adversely affected. Cattle farms also consume water and the grass dries out and disappears.
Ramírez did not discount the idea that banana pulp could be used to feed cattle.
And the Fishing?
If El Niño was to affect our country once again, the fishing industry would also be affected. Such climatic change [variability] raises the tides and affects the submarine photosynthesis process, which has repercussions on the natural relationship between fish and their environment, shrinking the normal populations.
The interim mayor of Puntarenas, Mario Ríos, assured that the municipality is looking for financial assistance from other public institutions and private enterprise, to aid fishermen, in case production is affected.
Javier López Vargas, executive of the Council of Paquera District, in the Nicoya peninsula, was also distressed and insisted on the need that the Costa Rican Institute of Fish and Aquaculture (INCOPESCA), train and counsel fishermen, so that they can identify the periods of greatest fish shortage.
All the solutions, however, are not in the hands of public institutions.
“Once there are losses by flooding and drought the producers come for help. What happens is that they always believe the Ministry is the one who has to pay.”
“The only thing we can do is evaluate and assess the damage and plead to the National Bank System, so the old debts are renegotiated or new loans are given”, declared Carlos Ramírez.