Costa Rica signs law to progress on Paacume program

Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado and his agriculture and environment ministers, Renato Alvarado and Carlos Rodríguez, respectively, signed a law that allows new boundaries to be established for the Lomas de Barbudal biological reserve in the country's Guanacaste province.

The bill, approved by congress in August, enables progress on the US$458mn Paacume water supply program as it will allow the construction of a dam on the Piedras river, which is one of the project's main components.

Based on the law, the area of the reserve will increase by 17% to 443ha, the Costa Rican government said in a release.

"Without the dam, there would be no project," Alvarado said at the signing ceremony.

The project, whose full name is water supply system for the mid-river basin of the Tempisque river and coastal communities, is intended to guarantee water supply in the region for both human consumption and irrigation.

Carried out by national groundwater, irrigation and drainage service Senara, Paacume also involves building a western canal for the Arenal Tempisque irrigation district and a primary water distribution network.

According to the government, the project will guarantee water supply for around half a million residents of Carrillo, Santa Cruz and Nicoya for more than 50 years.

In addition, some 18,800ha of land will receive water for irrigation, even during the dry season.

Pictured: Costa Rican officials attend the signing ceremony. CREDIT: Presidencia de Costa Rica.