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)