Groundwater Regulatory Government Agencies
In our country, and in accordance with the Water Act No. 276 of year 1942, the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) is the governing body for groundwater resources and is responsible to coordinate and decide on its domain the development, use, governance, and monitoring of water usage. MINAE is also the governing body for registering and undertaking the licensing process for all qualified drilling companies in Costa Rica.
Our company has been registered for more than 21 years before the Department of MINAE. This official registration document number is #EC-123-2014 MINAE for water well drilling activities and is further appropriated by document #DE-MINAET No. 35884.
Water resources in our country are handled according to the principles of “Integrated Management”. This type of management promotes the coordinated use of groundwater, land, and natural resources. It also serves to manage and supervise development, to maximize the economic and social welfare in a safe manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems.
The Servicio Nacional de Aguas Subterráneas, Riego y Avenamiento in accordance with the Costa Rican water law Act No. 6877, provides in Article 3, (clauses c, h and e) that describes SENARA’s role pertaining to groundwater.
SENARA’s primary objective is to investigate, protect and promote the use of water resources in the country, both surface and underground, as well as perform, coordinate, promote and maintain updated hydrological investigational information, hydrogeological studies and other agrological studies deemed necessary in the protection of watersheds.
In accordance with the provisions of the Constitutive Act of the Costa Rican groundwater laws Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y Alcantarillados (AyA), No. 2726, as amended, Article 2, paragraph f) corresponds to AyA right to exploit, use, rule or monitor, all potable water of the public domain essential for the proper enforcement of the provisions of this law.
The Department of Water is a department of the MINAE, there primary responsibility is to receive, process and decide on applications for subsurface drilling applications for exploration and exploitation of groundwater and assign the number for prospective wells, in addition this department will operate and maintain the register of companies that can legally drill groundwater wells.
Will provide justification to AyA and monitor technical criteria regarding the involvement and usage of water sources for the population. SENARA will investigate all technical feasibility studies pertaining to the drilling of water well including construction and design. All water well applications shall be reviewed by SENARA to ensure that applicable reports and studies back up the request of the water well to be drilled.