An Investigation of Wastewater Management Options for the Community of Fatima, Costa Rica

In the community of Fatima in Desamparados, Costa Rica, the residents currently discard untreated wastewater in the Quebrada Padre. This has caused the water quality in the river to degrade. Our first goal was to assess the residents\u27 perceptions of the river conditions and their wastewater disposal methods through interviews and a site assessment. Results indicated that residents had mixed perceptions of the river and may not know how their wastewater is disposed. We then evaluated wastewater management options based on maintenance, cost, constructability, durability, safety, and effectiveness. We recommend that the existing household infrastructure be connected to the existing municipal sewer to improve the quality of the Quebrada Padre