AyA – Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y Alcantarillados (institutional profile)

The Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y Alcantarillados (AyA) is the state agency that leads the drinking‑water and sanitation sector in Costa Rica, created by its founding law (No. 2726, 1961). It is responsible for guaranteeing the supply of potable water and the management of sanitary sewerage nationwide.

Coverage: AyA directly administers water service in part of the country, but in many rural areas the service is provided by an ASADA (Asociación Administradora de Sistemas de Acueductos y Alcantarillados Comunales) — a local non‑profit association that operates under delegation from AyA. Before any transaction (billing, outage, new connection) you should confirm whether the water in the area is managed directly by AyA or by a specific ASADA (see the separate new‑water‑connection form for details on that procedure).

Main services:

Supply of potable water and billing of the service.
Sanitary sewerage in the zones where AyA operates that network.
Attention to breakdowns, leaks and damage in the distribution network.
National‑level drinking‑water quality control.
Issuance of water‑availability letters (“paja de agua”) for new construction projects.

How to report a breakdown or water leak: AyA offers a free telephone channel for reports, referenced in various sources as 800‑REPORTE (800‑737‑6783); there is also a WhatsApp channel and a private‑message option on the official Facebook page (Acueductos y Alcantarillados CR). Because AyA’s contact numbers have varied across sources, it is advisable to verify the current reporting number directly on aya.go.cr, in the customer‑service section, before calling.

Other channels: AyA’s Virtual Agency allows registered customers to view bills, make payments and report damages online. The documentation/administrative service center at the main offices (Rohrmoser, Pavas, San José) serves the public Monday through Friday during office hours.

Note: AyA is distinct from municipal governments and from ASADAs, although all three may be involved in water‑related procedures depending on the area — always confirm which entity is responsible for the specific location before starting a procedure or filing a complaint.