Two communities in dispute? The case of Atenas and Tacares for access to water resources

Abstract

This article analyzes the social conflict between the Atenas and Tacares Sur communities, originated because of the project "Upgrades of the Atenas aqueduct", proposed and executed by Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y Alcantarillados. For this, the ethnographic method was used through a qualitative approach, applying also in-depth interviews with representatives, both from AyA and ASADA Tacares Sur, as well as ethnographic interviews with members of both communities, since the perception of the events of the parties is the foundation of the investigation; furthermore, the water resource was analyzed as a key informant. Concluding that, the conflict originated from a lack of information and poor communication by those involved, causing gossip to gain relevance in both communities as a means of explaining the actions of the institutions involved and the behavior of their counterpart.