Jaco Beach Water Lab Results: Jaco Beach is Clean from Pollution

Jaco Costa Rica is clean and not polluted shows the labs results from AyA which tested the water last month. AyA is the Costa Rican ministry that is responsible for drinking water and water treatment. However, the AyA lab results just release showed that 6 other Costa Rican Beaches are still contaminated.

Before stepping foot in the water, best to be sure that the beach or river is not on the AyA list of the contaminated, following the findings by the water and sewer utility high contaminations of fecal matter in at least six beaches in Costa Rica.

Testing by the Laboratorio Nacional de Aguas de Acueductos y Alcantarillados (AyA) shows that the beaches of Los Baños, Portete and Cieneguita, in the province of Limón; the Tárcoles, Giacalillo and Quepos beaches in the province of Puntarenas, have a high level of contamination of fecal coliforms. These AyA lab results indicate that the above beaches are not fit for swimming.

In the meantime, Jaco Beach and Tamarindo passed the lab test after three years of water of very publicized water pollution problems. There was a huge effort by the Jaco community and the Canton of Garabito to clean up the water problems in Jaco. The result is Jaco is no longer on any of the polluted beach lists and continues to pass water tests. The condos Jaco Beach has built brought many residents to the clean up effort, who were concerned about the past water problems. Jaco Beach clean water lab results proves a community effort of engaged residents can make the difference.

The accepted level in Costa Rica of coliform in the water is 240 coliforms per 100.000 milliliters of water.

Some results to highlight where beaches are still polluted are Portete beach which the lab results showed 10.000 coliforms & Los Baños tested at 7.500 coliforms which are very elevated. Other moderate polluted beaches are Cieneguita beach tested at 700 coliforms, Tárcoles 850, Gucalillo 500, and Quepos 400.

One of the problems faced by these communities is the lack of local organizations to work in correcting the problems. The AyA tests the water quality of the beaches around the country as part of their "Bandera Azul Ecológica" program.