Costa Rica’s state water utility AyA will invest US$270mn to start treating the 2,800l/s of wastewater currently produced in the greater metropolitan area in and around capital San José, local paper La Nación reported.
The project involves the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the sewerage networks in nine municipalities in San José and one in Cartago province. A total of 360km of secondary pipelines will be installed and four trunk sewers will be repaired.
A wastewater treatment plant will also be built in the La Uruca municipality.
A US$17.4mn tender to carry out studies and draw up the master plan for the underground network was awarded to a consortium formed by Japanese NJS and the French firm Sogreah on January 22.
Pending contracts include the construction of the underground network and for the wastewater treatment plant. Two Spanish firms and a French firm are participating in the tender process to build the plant, the report said.
The initiative is being financed with a US$130mn loan from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). Another US$140mn will be provided from the country’s own resources.
Upon completion in 2015, wastewater produced by the 1mn people living in the San José municipalities of Desamparados, Goicoechea, Alajuelita, Vázquez de Coronado, Tibás, Moravia, Montes de Oca, Curridabat and Central will be treated. La Unión municipality will also benefit.
Currently, wastewater from these municipalities is disposed of without treatment in the rivers Torres, María Aguilar, Rivera and Tiribí.
Source: BNamericas.com [subscription site], 25 Jan 2010
