Steps To Obtain A Drilling Permit And Water Concession

Steps to obtain a drilling permit and water concession

Permitting is a two-layer process

1. Drilling and registering the water well
2. Approval of the Concession for the use of the water well.

Start to finish between 9 and 12 months

1. Site visit by a Professional Geologist to recommend the location of the new well.
2. The budget for the project is provided to the client.

Well Permit and Drilling 3 months

1. The application documents are presented on the MINAE platform.
2. The permit takes approximately 3-12 weeks to be approved if you meet the requirements. It is valid for one month and can be extended for an additional month from when it is notified.

The start of the drilling process is coordinated

1. Once the well is drilled, the pumping test is carried out to know its flow rate, and a water sample is taken to determine its quality.
2. Drilling, pumping test, and water quality reports are delivered to MINAE (10 days after completion of work).
3. The hydrogeological study is carried out and presented to MINAE 30 days after the pumping test.

Well Concession 9 months

1. The Environmental Viability process begins in SETENA to obtain the water concession. It takes about a month to be approved.
2. The request for a water well concession is published in La Gaceta for two consecutive months. La Gaceta is a government announcement platform that provides information to the public about pending Government activities. https://www.imprentanacional.go.cr/gaceta/
3. Once the environmental feasibility, the reports, and the study are approved, it is necessary to wait for the granting of the concession (permission from the Costa Rican Government to use the water).
4. When you receive the concession resolution, you can install the pumping system and use the water.