Water concerns for La Manzanilla

The post about water concerns below was posted in response to yet another investment and development scheme for the already over taxed water system in the area and generally the Costalegre

Working on the concept of a developement project wich includes condomminiums, swimming pool, restaurant/bar, motel, store and horse back riding facilites.

Just catching up on the latest postings... I think the issue of water comes in here, when any development plans are afoot. What Silver and the rest of us are experiencing is the salt water intrusion into our coastal aquifer.(Morgan told me and others this just a week ago) The salt water is heavier, and sits below the fresh. After all the dry months, the level goes lower and lower, hence the water gets saltier. When we over use the resource it means we draw more salt water into the aquifer, and make the situation worse. LA has the same problem, but they have figured out the capacity of their aquifer, and try to be super careful not to start drawing in salt water. We don't know the capacity here, but we're certainly getting some classic signals. Some months we are right at the legal limit of salinity, according to Morgan.(and more chlorine = more salinity 'cus it comes as a salt)

So, these are things to consider when making investments...if there are few enforceable rules, then certainly many new investors will drain our water resource and jeopardize the well being of the community. Profit and employment are only two of many considerations here. This ecosystem has been supplying us all with water for free, more or less. If we look after it, it will continue to do this forever. This is a good investment! Will we all have to pay big bucks for desalination, because no one makes us accountable for our use of water and we can't adjust to the capacity of our aquifer? Let's look after what we were given, and pass it on in good shape!

Perhaps we and the other stakeholders, including El Tamarindo and Yellowstone Club should find out the capacity of this aquifer. This might go a ways toward all of us reassessing just what we do with water.

There's lots of good stuff on salt water intrusion on the internet...the problem is common.