Developing Sustainable Water Resources Starts at the End

Baylor University has been working in Puntarenas Costa Rica for several years developing a sustainable water management plan with Hacienda Baru.  Hacienda Baru is a national wildlife refuge that was previously a cattle ranch but now focuses on ecotourism.  An environmental science study abroad class first visited Hacienda Baru in 2004 as part of the Baylor in Costa Rica program. After several classes had visited Hacienda Baru, friendships began to form and Jack Ewing, manager and director at Hacienda Baru, asked Baylor participants questions related to plans for expansion and the feasibility of more eco-friendly wastewater treatment systems for several new cabins. The topic was wastewater because several of the Baylor participants were part of the Baylor Wastewater Research Program. One of the students, Adam Clapp, returned to Baylor and wrote a proposal to assess the wastewater program at Hacienda Baru. Through funding from the Glasscock foundation, Adam was able to travel back to Costa Rica and work with the people at Hacienda Baru.  The wastewater assessment led to a larger, more complete, water management plan that resulted in the following improvements aimed at sustainability; metering water to quantify consumption and reduce waste, improved but  appropriate infrastructure to reduce pumping pressure on coastal well production that may result in salt water contamination and disinfection to protect water quality.  The “end” of the flow system, wastewater, is essential to sustainable water management and may be the “beginning” of sustainability planning in many instances.