The Board of AYA (the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewer System)approved the amendment of the 'Sanitary Quality Stamp' to be extended to hotels, restaurants and recreation centers.
With this extension of the Sanitary Quality Stamp, we believe that the supply of drinking potable water, quantity and continuity, together with the proper disposal of excretions and solid waste, are essential to reduce disease transmission through water consumption.
These actions are paramount whether in a restaurant, recreation center or hotel, where not only Costa Ricans attend but also foreigners, said Ricardo Sancho Chavarria, Executive Chairman of the AyA.
The award will reward those recreation centers, hotels and restaurants that meet the conditions of sanitation: specifically on the service of quality drinking water, proper disposal of liquid and solid wastes, also water from pools that meet the physical, chemical and microbiological requirements.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Maria Luisa Avila Aguero said.
This initiative is extremely important because it will enable us to complement and reinforce the work of regulation, supervision and control that is carried out every day by the Ministry of Health in such establishments. This award represents a valuable input to further stimulate a greater involvement of employers in favor of the environment and people.
The evaluation parameters for recreational centers and hotels are:
- Supply of quality drinking water, cleanliness and cleaning of toilet facilities, sanitary facilities and showers, quality of water of the swimming pools, adequate sewage disposal and proper disposal of solid waste.
- Certification with a star (Type A): it is given to the entity or local committee that can achieve a score of 90 to 100%.
- Certification with two stars (AA): is awarded to the entity that can achieve a score of 100%, and also implement guidelines for washing hands of customers.
- Certification with three stars (AAA): given to the entity that meets the requirements of the two stars certification and also implements reforestation campaigns.
- Certification with four stars (typeAAAA): is granted to the entity that complies with the requirements of the certification of three stars, and also applies reduction, recycling and reuse of solid waste.
- Certification with five stars (type AAAAA): is granted to the entity that complies with the requirements of the four stars certification and participate in the sixth grade program called the Ecological Blue Flag "Actions to address climate change".
The award will consist of delivering a green flag with the logo of 'Sanitary quality Stamp', with the year that you win the award and the number of stars involved. We will also issue a certificate showing the number achieved in the annual evaluation, conducted by the National Water Laboratory, Sancho ended.
