Since the beginning of Casa Divina as a nature reserve and sustainable tourism destination, respectful water management has always been a priority. Y más allá de cuidarla y valorarla, compartimos nuestras prácticas con nuestros huéspedes y buscamos inspirar a todos los que nos visitan a amar y cuidar el agua.
At Casa Divina Eco Lodge, we are committed to the care of the ecosystems where water originates. Due to the location of our lodge, we do not have access to potable water that normally is provided by the municipality. Instead, we form part of a local water cooperative that was created a few years ago to pipe clean and abundant water to areas where there was no potable water available.
In the past, this initiative was a very efficient solution for the neighbors in the upper San Lorenzo mountains. Nowadays, anyone who wants to receive water from Bravo river in the same sector can join this community and sustainable project.
Pero para nosotros no siempre fue así. Durante más de 10 años captamos nuestra agua de los manantiales naturales que atraviesan la reserva Casa Divina.
And what does a natural spring look like? It is a very beautiful thing to see — clear water that springs naturally from the earth, among the small stones and plants. You can find them in special areas inside the forest, where small trickles of water come out. Those beautiful places, also called “ojos de agua” (water eyes), are generally in the upper part of the forest. At Casa Divina we installed hoses there to capture the water and distribute it to our cabins, in the lower area.
How we manage water at Casa Divina
In order not to affect these water sources and the other sources that run through the forest, we treat the gray water and reuse it to irrigate our food gardens.
Additionally, we use only biodegradable cleaning and personal use products, and to avoid waste water — we have an efficient, water-saving washer.
As for the water that goes to our kitchen and drinking stations, it is first filtered through a complex sistema de tres filtros and finally UV filter. In this way we make sure that we only work with the cleanest water for drinking and food preparation.
Las Naciones Unidas en su iniciativa especial sobre el agua reconoce que las aguas subterráneas son parte de la solución para el problema de escasez a nivel mundial.
“Explorar, proteger y utilizar de forma sostenible las aguas subterráneas será fundamental para sobrevivir y adaptarse al cambio climático y satisfacer las necesidades de una población creciente”, indican en la página web.
We turn on the tap, out comes the water we use for drinking, cleaning, cooking and washing. But, have we ever asked ourselves, where does that water come from?
It seems like a simple question, but it is an important one. Knowing where our water comes from and how much it costs in terms of energy, human resources and operability, helps us to find options to support its responsible use.
In general, drinking water in large cities comes from natural sources such as rivers, waterfalls, lakes and estuaries. It is piped to treatment plants, which can range from small to very large, and then it is filtered, purified and distributed through pipes.
¿Y si planificamos una excursión a la fuente de captación del agua que se consume en el sector donde vives?
Then we may find great surprises! Maybe a beautiful waterfall with great biodiversity around it, or perhaps a small reservoir, where we can learn about how water is becoming increasingly scarce due to climate change, drought or deforestation. We can also discover private or public initiatives to conserve those ecosystems, and if they have programs for people to get involved.
What if we visit the treatment plant that is closest to where we live and find out how it works and the challenges it faces?
We can learn firsthand how much money, energy and labor are involved in getting water into our homes every day. This will help us to understand why millions of people around the world lack the privilege of clean, safe water. (According to the United Nations, 1 in 3 people worldwide do not have access to safe drinking water. You can see more about the global actions for the World Water Day at this link: https://www.un.org/es/observances/water-day)
Escrito por: Lucila Donoso
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