Residents of the Matabuey neighborhood in the city of Nicoya expressed their displeasure with the foul smells emanating from the neighboring sewage treatment pools from the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA) as well as the treated waters discharged into the River Grande, which runs about 50 meters from the pools.

The neighbors have requested an intervention with Aya and the Ministry of Health, and VON contacted those officials for an explanation.

In addition, ecologists like the El Tucan group of Nicoya and neighbors bordering the River Grande have alerted the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Telecommunications (Minaet, the entity in charge of the conservation of natural resources) about the potential environmental contamination brought about by the sewage treatment plant.

"We recognize that the sewage pools were here before us in this place, but those who gave us these houses should have taken into account that this was going to harm us. It's inconceivable that this polluted water reaches the river," declared Florencio Espinoza Espinoza, neighbor of the treatment facility.

VON contacted Orozco Jiménez, who said the discharge is regulated by the Ministry of Health. "Everything is given within what is normal, because in the pools of oxidation, the water is treated and later this liquid has to be discharged and it has to end up somewhere. This type of water that is discharged is regulated by the Ministry of Health. We are regularly sending a report to Health about the treatment that is carried out," Orozco stated.

Regarding this treatment, Orozco said that AyA acquired a property adjoining the two pools at the end of 2010 with the purpose of giving a better treatment to the wastewaters.

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