Ojo de Agua Temporarily Closed
The "Ojo de Agua", a natural water "balneario" (spa) - a vacation spot for thousands each day has been temporarily closed by the Dirección Central Norte del Ministerio de Salud (Health officials) due to expired permits.

A visit to the Ojo de Agua, located in Belén, by health officials found a number of deficiencies including not having an evacuation plan for visitors in the case of an emergency and failing to use the proper paint in the pools to combat fungus.

The ministra de Salud, María Luisa Ávila Agüero, said that the permits had expired four years ago even though the centre continued to operate, including holding concerts, which bothered many of the neighbours.

To re-open, the minister has asked the Ojo administration to correct all the deficiencies, especially the paint used in their pools and to to have a clear evacuation plan.

Since last August the Ojo de Agua has been under the administration of the Nemo consortium, taking over from the Instituto Costarricense de Puertos del Pacífico, a state agency.

Each month the Ojo de Agua sees some 30.000 visitors, increasing during the dry season, as many use the natural water pools to cool down.

The Ojo de Agua is an attractive and peculiar “waterhole” through spring up more than 23000 litres of water coming from a subterranean river, These pure and limpid waters supply and renew the swimming pools constantly.