ASADA UVITA AND BAHIA – ADMINISTRATING ASSOCIATION OF THE COMMUNAL AQUEDUCT

By Andrés Rios

In the mid-eighties, the community of Uvita organized and began the construction of an aqueduct. It was not until October 2, 1998, that our ASADA was constituted through an Ordinary General Assembly, and on February 24, 2003, recognized by the A and A as an aqueduct. The officialization took place on March 18 of the same year, once it was published in the official newspaper of our country La Gaceta No.72.

Due to the communitys growth in the coming years, the development soon exceeded the capacities of the Aqueduct. During this period, the water capacity was very scarce. Between 2006 and 2009, a one-star award was received from the Sanitary quality seal program of the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers. Despite the lack of water resources and some deficiencies in the ASADAs operating system, we could guarantee its water quality.

During 2012 and as a result of a restructuring of the Board of Directors, changes arise in the administration and operation of our Aqueduct. It began with new improvement projects such as the capture of 6 new springs, which made it possible to increase our systems water capacity injecting a flow of 20.83 l in the summer of 2015. The construction of a vitrified steel tank with a capacity of  500M³ in 2017 represented an increase in our storage capacity by 90%, the change in water resources and economism was notorious.

For 2018, ASADA set its commitment to offer a continuous, constant, and quality service, adapting the Aqueduct work structure to all the guidelines established y law for its operation. We are thriving every day to become an Institution, formal, serious, and with the economic and scientific strength necessary tocover our communitys development without affecting our natural resources.

Due to their way of working in the 2019 period, ASADA returns to the Sanitary Quality Seal program. This time we managed to incorporate four white stars of potability into our award. This awards achievement was thanks to obtaining 100% of the points in the Sanitary Quality Seal program. This program qualifies the following parameters: Protection program for water sources – Maintenance and cleaning program for tanks and networks – Program of disinfection – Environmental educationand information on quality – Operational control -Compliance with the Regulation for water quality – Evaluation of sanitary risk.