Waste Water Treatment in Costa Rica

Harold Steinvorth

Ley General de Salud (1973)Ley de Vida Silvestre (1992)

Legislation

LegislationLey General de Salud:• Demands Waste Water Treatment• Demands an approval from the

Ministerio de Salud.• Close the establishments that

infringe the law.

Legislation

Ley de Vida Silvestre:• Forbids to contaminate any body

of water.• BOD and Total suspended solids

must not exceed 50 mg/l.

Screen Bars

Hidrostatic Filters

Sandtraps

Grease Traps

Floculation

B

CAJA DEREJAS Y AFORO

Bar screen

Sludge dryers

HabitacionesLixiviadosSludge water

FertilizerCAMPO DE

INFILTRACIONWetland WWT (sand filter)

SEDIMENTADORPRIMARIO

Y DIGESTORPrimary settler

AnaerobicFilter

sludge

PumpingStation

Waste Water

wash

SD

CD

SD

Restaurante

Grease Traps

SIFONESDOSIFICA-

DORES

CAJA DEDISTRIBUCIONDistribution manhole

Waste Water Treatment System

Anaerobic lagoons

Waste Water Treatment System

B

B

CLORATE

CAJA DEENTRADA

watering

Drying chambers

Sludge Recirculation

Apts.

Industrial Zone

Hotel

Lixiviados

Fertilizer

AREAS VERDES

B

B

B

Airation Tanks(3)

Settling Chambers

AerobicDigestor

Overflowpurge

Sludge

blowers

Air

Air

Treated water

Cl2Cleaning purge

B

Aerobic Treatment

Water Inlet

Airation tanks

Air Difuser Blowers

Treated water usage

Treated water storage

Reactores AeróbicosLodos Activados de Aeración

Extendida

Usage

• Verted in a river• Watering• Other (cooling

systems, service water… etc)