2022 was the tenth-year anniversary of the Nicoya Pensinsula Waterkeepers´ operations in Santa Teresa! We are very lucky to have them here. Their team works extremely hard and against difficult odds, fighting to keep our waterways and oceans clean.
The emphasis of the Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeepers is on each of us taking personal responsibility for our actions and the impact they have on our surroundings. Each of us, whether we are local residents, restaurant owners, business owners, etc., have a part to play in protecting our local waterways and beaches. The NPWK has some fantastic programmes in place to help the town reduce its waste output, but also encourage, educate and support local community members to make changes in their own lives to reduce the problem of pollution that impacts our area.
The NPWK have just published their Activity Report for 2022, setting out their activities and achievements for the last year.
Wastewater Management:
The NPWK carry out monthly water quality monitoring of 20 rivers and streams of the local area. Unfortunately, the 2022 monitoring shows that both the Danta River and the Carmen River are highly polluted. Monitoring of the beaches also occurs at certain points throughout the year. NPWK‘s ocean water quality results published in their 2022 activity report showed fluctuating levels of fecal pollution in Mal País, Carmen, Santa Teresa, Hermosa, and Manzanillo, sometimes showing incipient pollution and high pollution levels on the following monitoring. Each sample taken is sort of a picture taken of the water quality at that precise moment, it does not necessarily represent the constant state of water health (more frequent and thorough testing would be needed to be able to assert that). Nevertheless, NPWK‘s twice-a-year ocean water testing has increasingly shown worrisome high levels of pollution where none was detected just a few years ago. This is a call for all of us to open our eyes and make more informed and less-polluting choices.
These results demonstrate that inadequate wastewater management is one of the biggest issues facing our community. The NPWK is working together with the Interamerican Development Bank (IADB) to study and find solutions for the wastewater issues that impact our area. The IADB also provided funding for the new road from Cobano to Playa Carmen, and the new main road through town (well, at least, parts of town!). It is also the Bank that has provided funding for the new Ferry Terminal in Paquera.
A couple of years ago the NPWK set up the Ocean Friendly Business® project, encouraging businesses in town to implement efficient wastewater treatment systems and other sustainable practices. In order to become certified as an Ocean Friendly Business, they need to: recycle, compost or correctly dispose of their organic waste, treat their wastewater appropriately, stop using single-use plastics, use non-polluting cleaning products, comply with the country´s current legislation. At the end of 2022 there were 15 restaurants and 3 accommodations that were certified as Ocean Friendly Businesses. There are 20 more businesses who are in the process of making the changes necessary in order to obtain their certification! You can see the full list of Ocean Friendly Businesses here - https://www.nicoyawaterkeeper.org/en/ocean-friendly-business. Make sure to support those businesses that are taking action to protect our waterways!
Solid Waste Management:
In partnership with BIONIC, NPWK runs weekly routes collecting recyclables from 11 stations throughout town. In 2022, 275 tons of recyclables were collected. 15 tons of coastal plastic were processed through the Waterkeeper-Bionic Recycling Center and exported for transformation into new products. Since the recycling center´s operations began in January 2019, 279 businesses and 413 houses started recycling!
Throughout 2022 NPWK organised 23 beach cleanups, during which 13 tons of waste were collected from the beaches.
Organic waste that is thrown in the trash and ends up in the landfill is another major problem for our area. Through the Ocean Friendly Business project, the NPWK has promoted on-site composting and supported local farmers who collect organic waste from restaurants. In 2022, 597 tons of organic waste has been prevented from being thrown into the trash and hence the landfill.
In alliance with Punto Seguro, a Costa Ricna company dedicated to appropriately managing medical waste, the NPWK have set up two medication collection bins - one at the office in Santa Teresa and another at the recycling center in Cobano. Please make sure to take your out-of-date medications to one of these collection points to prevent contamination of the waterways with pharmaceutical products!
In alliance with the Municipality and private donors, 13 tons of electronic waste was collected in 2022, for its proper processing and recycling.
Education and Awareness Raising:
The NPWK carried out 70 talks and trainings reaching 690 people in 2022. Providing education and promoting awareness, is a huge part of encouraging change and solutions-based action!
Advocacy and Law Enforcement:
Whilst implementing programs to promote change is one part of the work of the NPWK, the other part is working with the Ministry of Health and the Municipal Government to ensure that those people breaking environmental laws are stopped. During 2022, the NPWK law enforcement efforts resulted in 5 businesses getting wastewater treatment plants. They filed 57 wastewater pollution claims (31 new cases and 26 follow-up cases)
The achievements of the NPWK in 2022, and since starting their work here in 2012, are impressive. If you would like to support the NPWKs in their fight to keep our beaches clean, you can sign up to support them at their website - https://www.nicoyawaterkeeper.org/en/.
And you can see the full 2022 report here - https://www.nicoyawaterkeeper.org/docs/ActivityReport_2022_NicoyaPeninsulaWaterkeeper.pdf
Check it out!
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