This episode is a quick overview, in English, for everyone interested in helping solve a serious issue in Nosara. Some of Nosara’s most populated, and poorest, Tico neighborhoods (San Ramón & Los Angeles) are facing a tremendous challenge as they are lacking water. According to the Nosara ASADA, only $22,000 is needed to solve a serious issue not only in lacking water, but the upcoming health crisis if unsanitary water is what is being consumed and used.
Episode in Spanish added here soon.
In this Nosara Podcast episode, Dr. Robert Edgeworth unloads towards Nosara’s homeowners, especially any and all rental homes and restaurants, to either update their septic treatment systems or ‘Sell your property and leave’ in addition to starting a campaign asking renters to leave ‘one star’ reviews for any house or restaurant asking for toilet paper not to be flushed. He goes through Airbnb’s analytics and cites his reasons for taking these stands. His opinion is anyone with a rental home of any size or magnitude is under an ethical obligation to adjust their septic systems or sell and vacate the community.
There’s a ton of info in this episode… Much of it which will not be received well by many.
What are your thoughts? Is Dr. Edgeworth taking this too far? Or is he doing the right thing?
Nitzan Solan is a chemical engineer working in sustainability with a passion for Nosara and what it brings to her personal life. She has strong opinions about wastewater management & wants people to learn sustainable systems using wastewater not only to be better stewards for the environment, but to grown their own food & overall make differences. Her experience includes TED talks, being a medical cannabis specialist, and focusing on converting waste into energy.
Here’s the show notes:
From Israel, chemical engineer, works in sustainability
Dream is/was to surf every day
Nosara brought a balance never felt before. Organic community project in city
Biogas
Waste management
Converting waste into energy is needed. Produce own fertilizer
30 second ad: Sustainable system 2 sq meters bio decomposition
Biogas, co2 100x more effective
Use waste to grow own food
Connect system to bio toilets
Below ground to trees, completely clean
Spoke with Nick & developers
Gray water diversion is 70% savings
Divert sewer water
She surfs in this water and truly cares
100k for 50 homes, full on automatic treatment center
TED talk, Living Box, growing your own food, enjoys helping people help themselves
International medical cannabis specialist
N likes early parts but dislikes the $ or factory parts of it all
Surfing ability and mental commitment
Surfing in the south, Guiones paddle out
40th birthday & feeling good
Relaxation & commitment
3 favorite restaurants
I’ve been surfing through this entire red tide experience and taking my chances… However, it might have caught up to me.
Throughout this high season, I’ve been receiving emails and photos and hearing from several community members asking about this and others claiming to have gotten sick… But unfortunately nobody seems to know why the red tide is getting worse in our area.
To be upfront about it, I’ve grown used to red tide and just kept surfing. So I 100% acknowledge I knew I might get sick, yet paddled out anyways. Surfing is my primary source of entertainment and exercise, so I decided to paddle out most every day this high season. However, my luck may have run out.
This past week or so I’ve been experiencing an array of physical issues. First a constant head throbbing about 10 days ago. I’m quite used to my head hurting from a TBI injury so I didn’t pay it too much attention. But about 7 days ago my fever spiked up significantly along with strong stomach issues.
Taking a shower itself was challenging with shivers from freezing immediately followed by profuse sweating. About 4 or 5 days ago, as my head continued to pound, the fever started to break but other symptoms came in. First were sores in my mouth then the following day hives began circulating all around my body.
Here’s another testimony sent in to me asking for anonymity, but to be published:
Hola Rich,
I have gotten poisoned by the red tide twice now. The first time while surfing, the water definitely had the red tint to where I could not see my feet hanging in the water below. But when I was wrapping up my session I found myself in a dark red patch with no visibility at all. That afternoon, my eyes, ears, and throat began itching in the worst way possible. The back of my throat was red-streaked and I was down and out for 4 days. The second time was last Wednesday, was out surfing between Bakers and Main Beach and it was not terrible at first, but then I started working my way south towards Bakers and it was significantly worse. Similar to the first time, I found myself in a dark red patch with no visibility at all. I paddled out, went straight home, showed, jumped in the pool, showered, then I used alcohol drops in my ears, and used a neti pot with iodine solution. That afternoon. same as the first time my eyes, ears, and throat began itching in the worst way possible. The back of my throat was red-streaked and I was down and out for 4 to 5 days. This time was worse as it was painful to pee.
Year-round resident surfer
**The reason this is anonymous is this resident doesn’t want businesses or locals to be angry at them for potentially hurting tourism. However, they care about safety and want people to know about their recent experiences.
The Playas de Nosara ASADA recently shared a detailed explanation and timeline of events pertaining to the current moratorium on building permits on their social media and website you can review in English or Spanish HERE.
The Playas de Nosara ASADA board is requesting people to review the updated information and for accurate information to go directly to the ASADA for questions and concerns to avoid growing rumors and misinformation spreading around the community.
For example, the leaders of this ASADA strongly disagree with comments made by local architects Lucca & Evangelina Spendlingwimmer who were guests on a recent Nosara Podcast episode.
In the episode, Lucca & Evangelina share strong opinions about the need to unify in legal action to bring attention to what they feel are unnecessary delays in continuing the moratorium. They feel the extended moratorium is going to hurt the community more than help it and invite people to join them.
The Playas de Nosara ASADA is upset by the comments and information in the recent episode. They feel the information is inaccurate and are disappointed it was published.
Although the Playas de Nosara ASADA declined invitations to the podcast, our invitation remains open and we are hopeful they will reconsider in time. Our goal is to share what is happening in the community and promote as much dialogue as possible.
The great news is the Playas de Nosara ASADA is available to speak and communicate in person, phone, or email & is providing detailed updates like this one being prepared.
This podcast is a neutral platform for community members to speak their mind, all sides, especially about significant issues which affect the whole of the community. NP is committed to being an open channel for dialogue on all community matters. We hope for and welcome discussion that helps us grow and solve problems together.
The water saga in Nosara (and all of Guanacaste) unfortunately continues… As a result, some local architects & their clients are preparing litigation hoping to bring attention to the current water permit situation.
It is a confusing situation for many residents and frequently debated in the community.
One local ASADA, led by the tireless Lili Adams, is trying their best to help everyone involved and answer questions. They strongly disagree with the message and opinions shared by Lucca and Evangelina in this episode.
Here is the most recent ASADA update: https://www.facebook.com/286568978085143/posts/6031081330300517/
Unfortunately, the current permitting situation is not within their control. The issue is the processing of many ASADA’s capacities through AyA. However, some are unaware this is an AyA level issue, not a decision of a local ASADA trying to block development.
This podcast was recorded in October. It’s now December and unfortunately this issue is ongoing.
The Nosara Podcast episodes are an opportunity for guests to say whatever they wish. The NP’s intention is simply to share what’s happening within the community. Please remember the opinions expressed by the guests are those of the guests and you’re welcome to contact them directly.
All community organizations are invited and we welcome all dialogue concerning Nosara community issues.
The water situation is a topic of much debate around Nosara. In this NP episode, attorney Jose Arce updates us about:
We appreciate Jose coming on this episode to help explain what’s going on.
