What is a Water Letter?
A “water letter” (or carta de disponibilidad de agua) is an official document issued by an ASADA certifying that sufficient water is available for a new property or development. This document is legally required before construction can begin on any project, and by law it guarantees access to water for 20 years.
ASADAS (Asociación Administradora de Sistemas de Acueductos y Alcantarillados) are community-run, non-profit water boards responsible for supplying, maintaining, and regulating potable water. They are regulated by Costa Rica’s national water authority, AyA. In Nosara, the Playas de Nosara ASADA operates the aqueduct system serving areas like Guiones and Pelada.
The Playas de Nosara ASADA infrastructure is in very good shape. It has more than sufficient water storage and distribution capacity to serve the area for years to come, even accounting for future growth. The challenge is water access. With rapid development and the local population growing, existing wells cannot meet increased demand.
Part of our onsite well system, at ground level
Our water storage tank
In 2021, the AyA placed the Playas de Nosara ASADA in a status called No Factibilidad Técnica para el otorgamiento del Servicio. This legally prohibits issuing new water letters until updated studies and data confirm that the system has sufficient capacity. Expanding that capacity requires new wells, investment, and lengthy legal approvals — all of which are still underway.
For anyone considering property in Nosara with plans to build, this is worth understanding. Without a water letter, a construction permit cannot be issued — meaning a property can be legally owned but not built on until the moratorium is lifted.
At El Bosque, this is not an issue. Our water supply is independent from the local ASADA, with two fully permitted wells on the property. Our system feeds a 250,000-liter storage tank that distributes water to all homesites and amenities. That means we are able to issue a water letter for each homesite, so after purchase, construction can begin right away.
If you have any questions on this topic, we’d be happy to talk with you.