Sewage Spooks Off Tourists in Costa Rica´s Tarcoles

Tourists once flocked to the surf and wildlife of this tropical town on Costa Rica´s Pacific coast, but the filth of a sewage-rich river that oozes through Tarcoles has driven them away.

This Central American nation is reputed to be one of the world´s most environmentally friendly corners, helping to make it a top destination for international travelers.

But the lack of sewage treatment for most of its people is typical of much of Latin America and other poor areas of the world, where improper sanitation poses health risks and destroys valuable resources.

Almost all the sewage from Costa Rica´s urbanized central valley is pumped untreated upstream into the Tarcoles River.

In Latin America only about 2 percent of sewage is treated, according to the WASH initiative recently launched by the United Nations-backed Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council, or WSSCC.