Know And Avoid Contaminate
Beaches In Costa Rica
If you are heading out to the beach for Semana Santa take into account that many
beaches are contaminated to the point they
can be a health risk to you and your loved
ones. So, take a moment to consider the
situation before stepping in the water.
In the Caribbean coast it is not
recommendable to bathe in the beaches of
Portete, Cieneguita and the Balneario
Municipal de Limón.
In the Pacific, it is best to avoid the
waters of Playa Azul and Playa Tarcoles.
Many beaches have fecal contamination above
safe limits. Darner Mora Alvarado, director
of the Laboratorio Nacional de Aguas del
Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y
Alcantarillados (AyA), says this can be
caused by sewage coming from the rivers.
For ther part the ministra de Salud, María
Luisa Ávila, said there has been a
concentrated effort by her people and those
of the AyA, and the Ministerio de Ambiente (MINAET)
to monitor, control and clean up the
situation.
Fecal coliforms (sometimes faecal coliforms)
are capable of growth in the presence of
bile salts or similar surface agents,
oxidase negative, and produce acid and gas
from lactose within 48 hours.
In general, increased levels of fecal
coliforms provide a warning of failure in
water treatment.
In many cases the contamination stems from
the lack of any type of water treatment, as
raw sewage is dumped into the local rivers
or directly into the sea.
Beaches like Tamarindo and Jacó, two of the
most visited beaches, have had a history of
problems with contamination, but have
improved over according to the AyA which
monitors beaches as part of the "Bandera
Azul Ecológica " (Blue Flag Ecological)
program.
The Blue Flag Ecological Program was created
in response to the imminent dangers of beach
pollution, its repercussions on public
health and the tourism industry.
View Costa Rica - Bandera Azul Ecológica in
a larger map
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